The mimicry of these things which Swift employs is but seasoning, and not the main point. Likewise, to suggest that Swift was radically attacking the notion of economic planning of human affairs, or even that his attitude on certain central questions was humane or liberal is misleading. The majority of interpretation of Swift"s proposal points us to an understanding that Swift was not really proposing infant cannibalism, rather that he points to an analogy between his "proposal" and the actual (or actually alleged) destruction-consumption-of Ireland by a voracious England, the parent-kingdom eating up its child-colony. There are major impediments to this approach. .

             The Proposer is "clearly in Ireland, addressing an Irish audience with an account of circumstances which are as real as they are horrible." (Rosenheim 204) England"s consumption of Ireland is mentioned expressly, but in a single clause which certainly does not inform but transiently exploits the great central conceit at work in the "Proposal": ".although I could perhaps name a country that would be glad to eat up our whole nation without it [preserving the flesh of the infant carcasses]." (Swift) The structure and progress of the Proposer"s argument, both as a whole and in it particulars, seem in no way derived from any analogical or allegorical perception. Rather, at least some of Swift"s irony, if not the largest portion thereof, is directed at Ireland, not England.

             The proposer states that "Infants flesh will be in season throughout the year." and that a large quantity of infant flesh will be consumed. He indicates that cooks will vie with each other in preparing new dishes of this food which is "a most delicious, nourishing, and wholesome food." (Swift) The proposer next exhausts the list of ways one can prepare this food in order to emphasize that the food will incite a continuous craving in the people who devour it.