A Modest Proposal Outline
“A Modest Proposal” by Jonathan Swift I. Conditions of female beggars II. Suggestions A. Need to find a method with particular qualities 1. Children in arm 2. Children on back 3. Children at mother’s heel B. Need to help infants of poor parents 4. Before One year 5. After one year C. Need to prevent abortions and murders III. Statistics and practical details about 200, 000 breeders D. 80,000 of no concern to poor parents 6. 50,000miscarry 7. 30,000maitain E. 120.000 of great concern to poor parents 8. Cannot employ 9. Cannot steal 10. Cannot be sale IV. Proposal A. Reserve 20,000 for breed 1. One-forth to be male 2. One male serves four females B. Sell 100,000 C. Create dishes at table 3. Fore or hind quarter 4. Pepper or salt D. Use Skin V. Stipulations making Proposal worthwhile F. Fatter after one year G. Proper for landlords (who have already “devoured” most of the parents) H. Plentiful in March I. Good for lessening number of papists J. Cost efficient:10 shillings 11. 8 for profit 12. 2 for cost K. Beneficial use of skin L. Purpose of shambles VI. Possible refinements of the scheme M. Use of 12-13yr old 13. Example of a friend 14. Refutation a. Starve of want of work b. Depose of parents 15. Source of knowledge: Psalmanager N. Solicitation of others whose lives could be “sold” 16. Poor people and laborers 17. Refutation c. Cannot get work d. Lack of nourishment VII. Advantages to Ireland’s poor O. Lessening of the number of papists P. Acquiring by mothers of something valuable of their own Q.