In "A Modest Proposal," Swift wants to accomplish a satirical critique of the British government's treatment of Ireland and the Irish people. By proposing that the people should eat their own children, Swift is using extreme hyperbole to draw attention to the dire poverty and desperation faced by the Irish people. He is also highlighting the callousness and indifference of the British government towards the suffering of the Irish, who were being exploited for their resources while being denied basic human rights.
Swift's proposal is not meant to be taken literally but rather as a scathing commentary on the inhumane conditions in which the Irish were forced to live. By suggesting that eating children would solve the problem of overpopulation and poverty, Swift is exposing the absurdity of such solutions and the failure of the British government to provide any real assistance to the Irish people.
Furthermore, Swift's proposal can also be seen as a critique of the prevailing economic theories of his time, which valued profit over human life. He exposes how these theories could be used to justify even the most heinous acts if they were deemed profitable.
In conclusion, Swift's "A Modest Proposal" is a biting critique of British colonialism and economic exploitation, using satire and hyperbole to expose the inhumanity and absurdity of these practices.