A Modest Proposal is a short satirical essay of 1729. Its calm, reasonable speaker sets out a plan to relieve the poverty of Ireland, using the language of economics and public spirit. The suggestion he reaches is shocking, and the horror is the point. Swift aims his irony at landlords, politicians and cold-hearted theorists who treated the poor as mere figures. It is among the most famous examples of sustained irony in English and is still widely taught.
Quotes
I have been assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London, that a young healthy child well nursed, is, at a year old, a most delicious nourishing and wholesome food.
I can think of no one objection, that will possibly be raised against this proposal.