During the 18th century and the Restoration, a new form of literature became very popular: satire. Satire, according to www.dictionary.com, is the use of irony, sarcasm, ridicule, or the like, to expose, denounce, or mock vice or folly. Commonly, satire is used to express opinions or comments on public issues. As a writer it is important to be well informed about current events, politics, and the interests of the general public. Writers, such as Jonathan Swift, have commonly used satire to discuss important questions about the follies of governments, people, and social issues. It has been said that “although (satire) is usually subtle in nature, it is used to bring light to contemporary social problems and bring about change within a culture” (Friedman). One of the best-known pieces of satire in the world is Jonathan Swift's A Modest Proposal. This work aimed to highlight the flaws surrounding poverty in Ireland and the oppressive and suffocating influence of the British government and Irish landowners. Swift uses satire to explain his “modest proposal”; in other words, it aims to prevent the Irish people from viewing children as a burden. In his use of satire, Swift places the blame for Ireland's abundant and poor population on the English and the landowners. It also denounces the abuse of Ireland and forced trade, as well as satirising those who have made suggestions to solve the problem without regard to the human cost involved. Satire is used "not only to remind us of our often ridiculous common humanity, but rather to expose those moral excesses, those types of correctable behavior that transgress what the writer sees as the limits of acceptable moral behavior" (Johnston). The uses of satire, such as Swift's A Modest... middle of paper... are extreme, but in doing so Swift evoked change and remained true to the goals of satire: "the best satire does not seek to harm or damage with its ridiculous... but rather seeks to create a shock of recognition and to make the vice repugnant so that the vice is erased from the person or society destined to benefit from the attack... whenever possible, this is the shock of recognition must be conveyed through laughter or wit..." (Friedman). Through the use of satire the uninformed are educated, a following is created, followed by the demand for change. Even though the power of satire has faded over the centuries, it has been an essential and effective tool for impacting the ways of society. Through the use of humor and blunt realism, writers, like Swift, are able to criticize their communities, nations, and friends without the intent to offend but to educate..