Final answer:
Jonathan Swift was influenced by the political and social environment of England, which included debates on government and poverty, reflected in his satirical pamphlet 'A Modest Proposal' critiquing the government and societal indifference.
Step-by-step explanation:
The political and social strife of England had a significant influence on Jonathan Swift. The challenges of poverty, the legislative approaches to handling it, and the debates on the role of government, as reflected in the works of John Locke and the writings of Edmund Burke on gradual reforms, all played into the context of Swift's satirical work.
His famous pamphlet, A Modest Proposal, was a biting satire of the British government's failure to address the plight of the Irish people, using exaggerated economic 'solutions' to critique the policies and attitudes of the time. Swift's writings suggest that he was acutely aware of the political landscape and social concerns, which permeated his critique of government inaction and societal indifference.