Born in Ireland in 1667, Jonathan Swift spent many years in England working closely with the British government. During this time, he witnessed corruption, waste, and fierce power struggles between rival political parties and religious factions. When he returned to Ireland in 1714, Swift saw firsthand the ill effects of Britain's social and economic policies on the Irish people and became a leading advocate for Irish independence. He also belonged to the Anglican Church (Church of England; known in Ireland as the Protestant Church of Ireland). Gulliver's Travels, a story set and written in the same historical era, was published after Swift returned to Ireland and became dean of the Protestant St. Patrick's Cathedral. Drawing on his experience of the times, he created a series of outrageous adventures that exposed aspects of government, war, and human nature.
Restoration England: Tories vs. Whigs. In 1660 the Restoration began when Charles Stuart (Charles II) became king of England and thus "restored" the Stuart family to the British throne. The return of the Stuarts to the monarchy meant the return of the Anglican Church as the dominant national religion and ultimately the establishment of the Tory party as the leading political power.
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