The problem that Ireland was facing when Swift wrote "A Modest Proposal" was:
<em>D. Extreme poverty among many families </em>
Explanation:
"A Modest Proposal" is a satirical essay by Jonathan Swift. The essay was written in 1729. Satire is a literary device that consists of using humor, irony or exaggeration in order to convey a message and criticize something. <u><em>Swift proposes that poor Irish families should sell their children as food and clothing to the rich, in order to ease their economic problems.</em></u> Swift aimed to criticize: society's attitude towards the poor and the British policies that were made in order to "eliminate poverty in Ireland."