A Modest Proposal

"A Modest Proposal for Preventing the Children of Poor People From Being a Burthen to Their Parents or Country, and for Making Them Beneficial to the Publick" is a satirical essay written and published anonymously by Jonathan Swift (author of "Gulliver`s Travels") in 1729. 

The economist's job is simply to find the best way for Governments to improve the life of their peoples. Being homeless in Ireland in Swift`s day was hellish and very common, in part due to landlords evicting penniless tenants. 

Swift`s modest proposal? That landlords should eat the babies of the poor just as they have already 'devoured` their parents: "A young healthy child well nursed, is, at a year old, a most delicious nourishing and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled; and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricassee, or a ragout."

Savage. Beyond satirical, you may think. But read on. Check Swift`s points (x) against our headlines today.

"Therefore let no man talk to me of other expedients: Of taxing our absentees at five shillings a pound (1) .Of using neither clothes, nor household furniture, except what is of our own growth and manufacture (2) .Of introducing a vein of parsimony, prudence and temperance (3): Of being a little cautious not to sell our country and consciences for nothing (4) Of teaching landlords to have at least one degree of mercy towards their tenants (5) Lastly, of putting a spirit of honesty, industry, and skill into our shop-keepers, who, if a resolution could now be taken to buy only our native goods, would immediately unite to cheat and exact upon us in the price, the measure, and the goodness, nor could ever yet be brought to make one fair proposal of just dealing, though often and earnestly invited to it (6).

Therefore I repeat, let no man talk to me of these and the like expedients, `till he hath at least some glympse of hope, that there will ever be some hearty and sincere attempt to put them into practice"

(1) tax havens (2) huge UK balance of payments deficit (3 ) UK budget deficit and personal over-indebtedness (4) UK kow-towing to China (5) unaffordable rents and right to buy (6) horsemeat.

And finally, what is our greatest problem NOW in the UK, one that Jonathan Swift would have recognised? Rising poverty.

Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose. Economics matters.