A Modest Proposal is one of the most notorious satirical essays in the English language. Written by Jonathan Swift and first published in 1729, the essay advocates a shocking solution to Ireland's poverty problem: selling the children of the poor as food for the rich. Swift's savage takedown of English economic policy and his biting critique of the callousness of the ruling class make this essay a timeless masterpiece of political satire. A must-read for anyone interested in the history of satire and political commentary. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.