I wanted to add a comment to John Oliver's substack on hunger and Gaza.

I can't afford to subscribe to all the great substacks so I will add Jonathan Swift's modest proposal here.

“Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal" is a satirical essay published anonymously in 1729.

Here's a breakdown of its summary:

• The Problem: Swift, an Anglo-Irish writer, addresses the severe poverty and oppression faced by the Irish population under English rule in the 18th century. Irish Catholics, marginalized by penal laws, were denied basic rights and opportunities, often struggling to survive amidst land ownership disputes and economic exploitation by absentee English landlords.

• The "Solution": Swift's "modest proposal" is presented with a dispassionate tone and the calculated logic of an economist, according to EBSCO. He satirically suggests that the impoverished Irish ease their economic troubles and overpopulation by selling their children as food for wealthy gentlemen and ladies. He even provides details, including calculating the economic benefits of raising and selling infants, further amplifying the shocking nature of the suggestion.

• The Satire: The core of the essay lies in its biting satire and irony. Swift doesn't genuinely propose cannibalism. Instead, the shocking and grotesque nature of the idea serves to:

  • Critique British Policy: It mocks the heartless attitudes towards the poor and the indifference of the English ruling class towards the suffering of the Irish.

  • Expose Dehumanization: It highlights the dehumanizing way the impoverished were viewed as merely a problem to be managed rather than as human beings deserving of dignity and respect.

  • Provoke Outrage and Thought: The shocking suggestion aims to elicit outrage and force readers to confront the horrific realities of poverty and social injustice, says brainly.com.

In essence, "A Modest Proposal" is a powerful and unsettling piece of literature that uses extreme satire to condemn the neglect and exploitation of the Irish poor and to challenge the moral conscience of its readers. Swift's work remains relevant today in discussions about social justice, economic inequality, and the ethics of how society treats marginalized populations.

• Jonathan Swift - Wikipedia

• Wikipedia

• A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift - EBSCO

  Cambridge University Press & Assessment”