Statistics and Politics in the 18th Century

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Abstract

The article first gives an overview over the early history of statistics in politics, and then zooms in on the first attempts at establishing a nationwide agrarian statistics in pre-revolutionary France. Attention is given to the obstacles as well as to the long-term successes in standardizing and quantifying agrarian productivity. The corresponding learning experience, both in terms of concepts and practice, was a condition for the institutionalization of statistics in the early nineteenth century. It had its roots in the secular-utilitarian agenda of "enlightened absolutism" and its focus on a systematic and state-sponsored relaunch of the national economy.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)238-257
Number of pages20
JournalHistorical Social Research
Volume41
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2016

Bibliographical note

special issue „Conventions and quantification in economy, politics and statistics – historical perspectives”

Keywords

  • Statistik
  • historische Entwicklung
  • Frankreich
  • 18. Jahrhundert
  • Physiokratismus
  • politische Ökonomie
  • Quantifizierung
  • Agrarproduktion

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