ɪt hɐz ˈɔːlsoʊ bˌɪn ˈɑːɹɡjuːd ðˌæɾə mˈɑːdɪst pɹəpˈoʊzəl wʌz, æt lˈiːst ɪn pˈɑːɹt, ɐ ɹᵻspˈɑːns tə ðə wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd sˈɛvənhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti ˈeɪt ˈɛseɪ ðə dʒˈɛnɚɹəs pɹədʒˈɛktɚɹ ɔːɹ, ɐ fɹˈɛndli pɹəpˈoʊzəl tə pɹɪvˈɛnt mˈɜːdɚ ænd ˈʌðɚɹ ɪnˈoːɹməs ɐbjˈuːsᵻz, baɪ ɪɹˈɛktɪŋ æn hˈɑːspɪɾəl fɔːɹ fˈaʊndlɪŋz ænd bˈæstɚd tʃˈɪldɹən baɪ swˈɪfts ɹˈaɪvəl dˈænjəl dᵻfˈoʊ.
It has also been argued that A Modest Proposal was, at least in part, a response to the 1728 essay The Generous Projector or, A Friendly Proposal to Prevent Murder and Other Enormous Abuses, By Erecting an Hospital for Foundlings and Bastard Children by Swift's rival Daniel Defoe.