Final answer:
Jonathan Swift satirizes the England-France rivalry through the Lilliput-Blefuscu conflict in 'Gulliver's Travels', symbolizing petty European politics and the absurdity of war, aiming to prompt social change and reflection on international disputes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Jonathan Swift, in his work Gulliver’s Travels, satirizes the rivalry between England and France through the fictional conflict between Lilliput and Blefuscu, tiny nations with a grandiose sense of self. The conflict in Swift's narrative often symbolizes the pettiness of European politics and the absurdity of war, particularly the battle over which end of an egg is proper to break. Swift’s satire was aimed at prompting social change by encouraging his readers to reflect on the ridiculous nature of such disputes and consider the broader consequences of nationalistic and factional conflicts.
The satirized conflict between Lilliput and Blefuscu is reflective of the real-world conflict between England and France, representing the historical European power struggles including the wars of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Through this allegory, Swift critiques the senseless belligerence and triviality of international politics. He hopes to prompt intellectual engagement with the significant issues of his time, challenging his contemporaries to see beyond their prejudices and embrace more enlightened attitudes towards governance, war, and national identity.