Johnathan Swift wrote a satirical proposal in 1729 called “A Modest Proposal” in this text he joked about bettering the economy and fixing the lack of food resources by selling the children as food to the rich. In the beginning he brings up how these kids are born into families that can’t make a living for themselves and force these children become money hungry and suggest that they will grow up to be thieves or even leave family behind in the search for a better life. Indicating that all these children who are born into poor families will have nothing to contribute to society leaving them to be insignificant. This in a way reminded me of how bad the resources are for homeless people here in America and how once someone can’t work or contribute to the economy it’s as if they are no longer viewed human and are stripped away from any human rights. It also brings up the fact that all this somehow comes around to being the mothers fault. From the text of A Modest Proposal: “It is a melancholly Object to those, who walk through this great Town, or travel in the Country, when they see the streets, the roads, and the cabbin-doors crowded with beggars of the female sex, followed by three, four, or six children, all in rags, and importuning every passenger for an Alms.” (Page 3)
Here in this quote we see how women are once again shamed for trying to make a living and talks about the many children who are seen following along the mother begging for money. It describes the state in which these children are in and gives us a better visual of the type of poverty there is. Jonathan highlights the big problem that is being faced and the lack of social awareness by the richer upper class. Obviously we can tell all that this text is being satire and used to mock the lack of empathy towards the poor and criticize laws and the policies that have been set up. Although Swift proposes something so morally outrageous as cannibalism it really helps us readers fully understand the gravity of the issue going on here about poverty and how the system has failed to show simple empathy for anyone but the rich.