A Modest Proposal

A Modest Proposal

In the eyes of today’s society, the consuming and selling of children is considered cannibalistic and is, for the most part, a topic that is unheard of. However, as explored in the excerpt, there was an overload of Irish peoples draining on the societal resources as well as living cold, hungry and dismal lives, which could have been avoided. This sidestepping of poverty nonetheless must use a tactic that should not only euthanize the children, but also allow the parents to receive a token that will help them sustain themselves, or their other children. The euthanized child is given an opportunity to make a very heroic sacrifice and will forever be remembered as one who gave his or her family bread, meat, or perhaps shelter. The child itself will not only be able to avoid the cruelty of life, but also have a guarantee of heaven as it died prior to conscious thinking and therefore sin-free. This paper will explore the reasons why this proposal is not uncivilized, disgusting, or evil, as one might believe upon initial encounters.

To the less fortunate people who were begging and freezing in the streets of Ireland, any help the kingdom is willing to give is definitely worth considering. This proposal promotes mothers’ to a position of praise, and takes away the difficult choices and “prevent[s] those voluntary Abortions, and that horrid Practice of Women murdering their Bastard Children…” (page 489). Clearly, the mother would not try to keep the child if she was financially deficient due to the raising of a child costing “…about two Shillings per Annum…” (page 491), if she could easily receive “…Ten Shillings for the Carcase of a good fat Child…” (page 491) Furthermore, if there is the possibility of gaining enough money in the sale of one child to provide for the entire family for the rest of their lives. An example of this luck in selling a child is provided on page 492 when “…his Imperial Majesty’s prime Minister of State, and other great...