Final answer:
In Jonathan Swift's satirical work 'A Modest Proposal,' children were not necessary because they were seen as burdens due to the extreme poverty in Ireland, and they could not contribute economically in a significant way without being able to be sold or generate income. The correct option is c) There were enough adults to work.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question 'Why were kids not necessary? (A Modest Proposal)' refers to Jonathan Swift's satirical work A Modest Proposal, where he ironically suggests that the impoverished Irish might ease their economic troubles by selling their children as food to rich gentlemen and ladies. In Swift's satirical scenario, children were seen as burdens to their parents and the country due to the extreme poverty and inability to support the growing population.
Within the context of A Modest Proposal, the children were not necessary because they could not contribute economically in a significant way. Swift's essay criticizes the brutal economic policies and disregard for the poor by suggesting an outrageous solution to highlight the dire situation of the impoverished populace and the inhumanity of the political arithmetic of his time.
It's important to note that Swift's essay is a work of satire and is expressing the absurdity of the socio-political situation of Ireland in the 18th century. The children are technically 'not necessary' because they cannot be sold and are too expensive to raise, adding to the poverty of their families who are struggling with limited resources and opportunities to earn a living.
The correct option is c) There were enough adults to work.