What are the main social or political institutions that Jonathan Swift satirizes in Gulliver’s Travels?
Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels (1726) is a masterpiece that offers a sharply satirical critique of the social, political, and scientific institutions of his time. Through journeys to four different imaginary countries, Swift sarcastically questions human nature, systems of government, scientific endeavors, and moral values.
- Politics and Systems of Government
Lilliput (Land of Dwarves)
Trivial Political Conflicts: The pointless struggle between the “High Heels” and “Low Heels” in Lilliput satirizes the petty squabbles between the Whig and Tory parties in England.
Absurd Bureaucracy: The use of acrobatic skills as a criterion for the appointment of civil servants in Lilliput criticizes the incompetence of the English bureaucracy.
Conflict between Religion and State: The “Egg War” (the debate over whether to break on the sharp or flat end) is a reference to the Catholic-Protestant conflict.
Brobdingnag (Land of Giants)
The Moral Insignificance of Humanity: After listening to Gulliver’s account of European politics, the giant king describes humanity as “pests.” This is a critique of wars, greed, and political intrigue.
The Search for Ideal Government: The Brobdingnag king challenges Europe’s complex and corrupt systems by offering a simple and virtuous model of government.
Laputa (Flying Island)
Academics and Unpractical Science: Scientists on Laputa are preoccupied with abstract and pointless projects (e.g., growing cucumbers from sunlight). This mocks the Royal Society’s experimental science.
The Rulers’ Detachment from the People: The floating island symbolizes a government that hovers over the people but remains indifferent to their concerns (a reference to the English monarchy and Irish politics).
- The Cult of Science and Reason
Scientific Follies (Laputa and Balnibarbi)
Pointless Experiments: Swift mocks the Enlightenment’s blind faith in scientific progress. For example, the project to recycle excrement into food questions the limits of science.
Mechanical and Abstract Thought: The Laputans’ preoccupation with music and mathematics represents a detachment from human emotions.
The Contradiction Between Reason and Humanity (Houyhnhnms and Yahoos)
The Houyhnhnms (The Intelligent Horse Society): This society, based on pure logic, is devoid of human emotions. Swift implies that pure reason can turn humans into robots.
The Yahoos (Wild Humanoids): Represents the animalistic aspects of humanity. It reflects Europe’s colonialist, greedy, and violent nature.
- Religion and Morality
Religious Wars: The egg-breaking debate in Lilliput symbolizes the meaningless conflicts between Christian sects.
Moral Ambivalence: The Yahoos’ greed for gold satirizes human attachment to material possessions. The Houyhnhnm, on the other hand, do not even know the concept of “lying,” emphasizing the flaws of human morality.
- Human Nature and Social Corruption
Pride and Arrogance: Throughout his travels, Gulliver realizes the baselessness of humans’ self-perception of superiority over other species. The Yahoos, in particular, undermine human pretensions to being “civilized.”
Colonialism: Gulliver’s homeland of England’s desire to conquer the world is met with horror by the king of Brobdingnag.
- Law and Justice
Lilliput’s Justice System: Absurd laws that reward rather than punish criminals reflect the flaws in the English legal system.
Brobdingnag’s Simple Laws: In the land of giants, there is a virtuous social order rather than complex laws. This is Swift’s emphasis on “natural morality.”
In other words:
In Gulliver’s Travels, Swift critiques all human institutions by exposing their absurdities and contradictions. While the work is ostensibly presented as a fantasy, it is actually a dark mirror of 18th-century England (and humanity in general). The primary target of his satire is how man, who claims to be “intelligent,” can be inconsistent and cruel within the systems he creates.
