Gulliver’s travel to Lilliput is a strong denunciation of hypocrisy and fanaticism in Swift’s own country. Political and social issues of his time are omnipresent in this book, but so far Swift doesn’t clearly preconize any other form of government or society. Between this first travel and Gulliver’s trip to Brobdingnag there is a change of perspective: for the second expedition, Swift adopts the perspective of a giant who looks at Europe from the remote country of Brobdingnag. But can this country be a model for European governments and societies?
The King of Brobdingnag has an inquiring mind. He wants to know everything about Gulliver’s country. Gulliver is really proud to introduce the English constitutional monarchy, which was considered as very progressive in Europe at this time. He explains pompously the organization of the judicial power and the legislative power with the House of Peers and the House of Commons. He finishes with a “brief historical account of affairs and events in England for about a hundred years past.” But the King isn’t enthusiastic. He expresses “many doubts, queries, and objections”. His questions are particularly relevant. They don’t focus on the Constitution, but on the way the system really works.
His first questions concern the education and qualifications of Peers and clergymen. These questions reveal the weakness of both, because Swift’s readers already know the answers.
He asked what methods were used to cultivate the minds and bodies