How common for us is the census today ... You won’t surprise anyone, you won’t outrage. In a sense, this process is already an integral part of our lives. It’s so natural to ask a question in a search engine about the number of people in the city where you plan on vacation. To the question of whether you live in a big city, almost everyone, without hesitation, will call an approximate but close figure. The student will easily list the million-plus cities of his country and will certainly be able to answer how many people live with him in the same territory. But this was far from always. Previously, the census was an exceptional event. A new, hard, having its own characteristics occupation.
A bit of world history
In ancient centuries, during the time of active wars and the division of territory between different states, the census was used everywhere. Each feudal lord knew his people, the number of families living under his command. After all, the amount of paid taxes depended on this, it was necessary to know the number of able-bodied people to be drafted into the army in the event of another war.
This need arose in ancient times. Indians, Egyptian pharaohs, the government of ancient China and ancient Japan - all had their own mechanisms for accounting for the population.
Interestingly, even the Bible describes a census conducted by King David.
Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome took into account only the number of adult men. But the governments of some medieval states (such as Germany, France, Italy) preferred to consider the population as whole families.
The debut full census in the modern sense was conducted in the United States of America shortly before the end of the 18th century.
Russian state
The first census in Russia was carried out in the middle of the XIII century. She became one of the administrative innovations introduced by the Mongols. The main reason for accounting was the calculation and planning of taxation (tribute).
After liberation from the Mongol-Tatar yoke in some territories of the Russian state, this procedure was preserved. However, a census was made only in a few principalities. It is known for certain about keeping records only in the Novgorod and Kiev principalities. Initially, the census was land (plow, tithe, yard).
Records were kept in the so-called scribe books. However, only the unstructured part of the information was taken into account there. Later they were replaced by "seasoning books." Representatives of the clergy were mainly appointed census takers. This was also explained by the fact that among them literate scribes were much more common.
In the days of the Russian Empire
The first general census was unique at that time. Over twenty years have been spent on its preparation. It was and remains a one-of-a-kind project when the census in Russia was carried out everywhere and in one day.
According to the idea of Nicholas II, the data entry was planned to be carried out using electric calculating machines.
In fact, counting officials entered most of the information, since the literacy of the population did not allow to realize the achievements of technical progress of that time.
However, the next step was made on calculating electric machines. All information received was applied to a punch card, individual for each resident.
According to experts, the cost of the entire procedure exceeded 6 million Russian rubles.
Population accounting at the Soviets
The Soviet authorities paid considerable attention to determining not only the quantitative composition of the population, but also the territorial distribution, religion and nationality.
The first census after the revolution was carried out in 1920, but it covered only territories in which there was no Civil War.
After 3 years, all city residents were enumerated, and after another 3, a general census took place.
In modern Russia
The census in Russia was completed only ten years after the formation of the new state. Passed from October 14 to October 25, 2010. According to preliminary results announced in March 2011, the population of Russia amounted to 142 905 200 people. Since 2002, Russia has moved in terms of population from 7th to 8th place in the world.
The census in Crimea by the forces of the Russian Federation was already made in the fall of 2014. Its objectivity has been repeatedly criticized, especially with regard to information about the religious and national identity of citizens.
Data validity
The reliability of census statistical information always has an error, therefore it is often the subject of discussion.
It is not necessary to exclude difficulties of an objective and subjective nature that adversely affect the accuracy of its results.
An error can occur both at the preparation stage and during data collection and processing. It is also worth considering that every day someone dies, and someone is born.
At the time of the state of the Russian census tellers deliberately deceived. Residents used fairly simple but effective ways. Since the tax was charged on the yard, and not on the number of people living in it, peasants could be relocated from several houses to one, or they could build one temporary fence around two or more yards.
For example, the census of 1897 was accompanied by a huge number of rumors. Not all residents favored this idea. Among the inhabitants there were many gossip. People were deliberately and unintentionally intimidated by the fact that the purpose of the census is to introduce new taxes. And this is the most harmless. Residents were afraid that they would want to relocate to undeveloped Siberian lands. Among some Old Believer communities, it was said that counting people is a sign indicating the coming of Antichrist.
Some of the data was deliberately distorted by the respondents themselves. For example, not everyone reported objective information about their attitude to military service, about additional types of income, religion.
The primary census form shows bias in the preparation of the survey documents and the imperfection of data processing. For example, Kazakhs and Kyrgyz in a number of regions belong to the same people. And in other sources it is clear that the Turkmens are considered together with the Tajiks. And there are many such errors.