Introduction

Jonathan Swift opens up the article with an open statement on his view of Ireland's present situation. He ensures that he makes the reader believes that his statement is true and accurate. In his perspective, it is melancholy to see women with more than six children begging on the streets for food (Swift, 1729). The sight is simply grotesque and unattractive to the passers-by. Instead of struggling to earn an income like everybody, these women had resulted in begging for sustenance to feed their children. As the children grow up, they end up as thieves on the same streets. The truth in his statement is true and seems to an issue that has been ignored by society for so long that the author had to speak about it to try and break the silence around the issue.

Preview

 For the sake of ensuring that the issue is talking about remains in the confines of the society, the author makes a bold claim- the street beggars are an indication of the degradation of the Kingdom which is supposed to cater to the needs of its citizens (Swift, 1729). More so, the entire society had to develop ways of ensuring that these street children are put to good use. This paper will discuss the author's fair, inexpensive, and simple mechanisms proposed to turn Ireland child beggars into resourceful community members.

 Body

 The author proposes that due to the hard economic times and speaking from a moral, upright angle, as agreed by other community members, the street beggars should be made more useful than sitting around on the streets and beg. As he terms them, they are 'prodigious' hence useful in working for the 'commonwealth' of the entire community (Swift, 1729). His sentiments stem from the fact that even if m the children of professed beggars sit idle, members of the community usually help them at the end of the days. In summary, the author aims to put the beggars into use by ensuring that they give back to the community they live in.

 Additionally, the author plans to officially propose that after a child from a poor background is born, he can assist the child get basic needs such as food. The only condition is that the child should not consume food worth more than two shillings. The other obligations can be fulfilled by the mother,' instead of being a charge upon their parent,’(Swift, 1729). Based on the author's sentiments, his actions would prevent abortion and help needful mothers take care of their children no matter their situation find themselves. 

Another proposal that the author offers is fattening the children and then giving them to Ireland's wealthy people to eat (Swift, 1729). He insists that these children can be edible meat in the market. Through this solution the society will fight off overpopulation and unemployment,’ I have reckoned upon a medium just born will weigh 12 pounds, and in a solar year, if nursed increases to 28 pounds’.

 In summary, the authors aimed to turn the children into useful members of the community. He proposes that the children should turn into workers who would complete chores for the community members. Secondly, each community member can take one child and feed them as their mother take care of the rest of the needs. Also, the children can be overfed and eaten as meat in the streets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reference

Swift,J. (1729). A MODEST PROPOSAL for preventing the children of poor people in Ireland, from being a burden on their Parents or country, and for making them beneficial to the public.