Final answer:
Jonathan Swift in 'A Modest Proposal' critiques the British government's indifference to the Irish poor, using satire to expose societal neglect and propose grotesque solutions to emphasize the need for real action against poverty.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Jonathan Swift's A Modest Proposal, he critiques the indifference of the British government and the wealthy towards the plight of the Irish poor. Swift goes to great lengths to satirize the heartlessness and hypocrisy of society through his outrageous suggestion that impoverished Irish children could be sold as food to the rich. This hyperbolic idea mocks the lack of empathy and the failure to implement humane solutions to poverty. By presenting such an absurd solution, Swift exposes the absurdity of the real societal neglect and emphasizes the need to address social injustice.