Satire in English politics in book 1

In Gulliver’s travels, Johnathan swift displays the protagonist Lemuel

Gulliver, who was a physician, and works as a ship surgeon in four different
countries, each country represents a corrupt part of England. swift harshly
criticized this corruption, focusing on society, government, religion, science and
man. He not only criticizes the country’s customs, but he also ridiculed the
foolish man who couldn’t see the double meaning of things.

After being shipwrecked, Gulliver's first journey took him to lilliput. The
journey is mainly a political satire, where he encountered a tiny people known as
Lilliputians. It is satire against the 18th century, political struggle between the
parties. While this was the setting for a fantasy story, Swift used the events to
make harsh criticisms of England between the reigns of queen Anne and George
I. The people of lilliput were about six inches tall, and their size indicated that
their motives, actions and humanity are all dwarfish.

When he arrived in the country, the Lilliputians gathered around him and
took him to the king. The king spoke with him, giving an assurance of his good
behaviors and kindhearted. He is ordered to take to the court. The novel then
proceeds with Gulliver's views on the court of lilliput, which is meant to satirize
the court of George I.

On the island of Lilliput Gulliver fights against Blefuscu and wins, but
why are they fighting? How to break an egg? The enmity between lilliput and
Blefuscu concerning which side they should break an egg, from the pointed side
or the wide side. Swift satirizes the fact that nations battle one another for no
reason and gain nothing in return. It also demonstrates how seemingly little
events may spark a conflict. Swift compares Lilliput to England and Blefuscu to
France. Swift satirizes unnecessary conflict between two nations with this story
events.
 By Lilliputians and Blefuscudians Swift indicates war between Tories and
Whigs. It was the rise of political parties, and the two major conflicts were the
Whigs and Tories. Therefore, Swift was fully informed of political activities.
Within these parties, He criticized the English political parties and the Prince of
Wales. Hence, through this voyage, he satirizes the conflict between England
and France.

The political affairs of the Lilliputians are an example of satire against

English society. The island of Lilliput is ruled by an emperor. So, Gulliver
begins to realize that their government has many flaws, which swift uses as
satire in their society. When Gulliver goes to court, he sees people applying for
jobs. They had strange activities. As The emperor of lilliput appoints
government officials based on their skill at rope-dancing, and whoever jumps
higher gets the highest position, which the Lilliputians see as a necessary and
relevant appointing, but Gulliver sees as arbitrary and ridiculous. “When a great
office is vacant, either by death or disgrace (which often happens,) five or six of
those candidates petition the emperor to entertain his majesty and the court with
a dance on the rope; and whoever jumps the highest, without falling, succeeds in
the office” (Swift, 65).

The English parliament is also satirized here. For example, the model
Flimnap represents Sir Robert Walpole, the Prime Minister of England and
Whig leader. He is represented as a skillful rope dancer. “… Swift’s model for
Flimnap was Robert Walpole, the leader of the Whigs and England’s first Prime
Minister in the modern sense. Walpole was an extremely wily politician, as
Swift shows, by making Flimnap the most dexterous of the rope dancers”
(CliffsNotes).