A Modest Proposal: for Preventing the Children of Poor People from Being a Burthen to Their Parents or Country, and for Making Them Beneficial to the Publick

Jonathan Swift's A Modest Proposal is a powerful satirical reflection on the economic, social, and ethical conditions existing in eighteenth-century Ireland. Using the character of an unemotional reformer, the essay makes the distressing proposal of selling underprivileged children for subsistence, highlighting the callousness inherent in utilitarian thinking and societal apathy. Swift employs piercing irony, logical mimicry, and measured humour to translate rationality into a moral denunciation, resulting in a text of lasting relevance that denounces unfairness and warns against harsh governmental policies.

Zeba Books Classics presents enduring works that challenge authority and remain relevant today. Carefully prepared, unabridged, and true to the original texts, these books invite readers into a timeless conversation.