Boys Will Be Boys

In A Modest Defence of Public Stews, Mandeville presents a satirical proposal on how the regulation of brothels can be beneficial to society. This proposal is made to "promote the general Welfare and Happiness of Mankind" - emphasis on man of course - and Mandeville states "the Good of Mankind is [his] only Aim." He argues that state-owned brothels providing safe sex to promiscuous men and to adolescents who might otherwise be driven by sexual desire into premature marriage will contribute to public health and to the stability of marriage. Women will less likely become victims of rape, and prostitutes will have the means to earn an honest living. Pretty lofty claims.

I found it interesting that Mandeville thought it was natural for a man to have a "violent Love for Women" and it was Pope Sixtus the Fifth's fault men turned to "Sodomy, and a thousand other unnatural Vices," because he attempted to suppress female courtesans and the men turned to one another for sexual solace. Now I know this is a satirical piece but that just about blew me away. This statement just adds fuel to the fire that homosexuality is unnatural and something someone chooses to do, which is truly a load of crap. This section of Mandeville's Defence touched a sore spot and personally I feel it took away from the piece.