Statistics, the history of the development of which we will consider today, is a science that has a long history. Its roots go back to antiquity. Statistical practice appeared due to the formation of the state. In order for it to arise, it was necessary to have information about the lands, the number of people living on them, their property status, and also much more. But it is statistics that collect and analyze them. The history of its emergence and development, presented in the article, concerns both world and domestic science. Let's start with the foreign one, and then move on to the description of Russian statistics.
Briefly about the history of the development of statistics
A few millennia ago, land and population, as well as various data on it, were recorded in ancient Egypt, Rome and China. From ancient times, information began to be collected related to such a field of knowledge as statistics. The history of its development, thus, covers millennia. At a later time, these data began to be processed and analyzed, and not just collected, that is, statistics were born as a science.
School of political arithmetic and two directions of statistics in their works
The school of political arithmetic in England is represented by such founders as D. Graunt (years of life - 1620-1674), E. Halley, who lived from 1656 to 1742, V. Petty (1623-1687). Two directions can be distinguished in the works of these scientists. The first of them is demographic (Halley and Graunt), which has a bias towards issues related to insurance. The second direction is statistical and economic, of which V. Petty is a representative. D. Graunt was the first to discover the laws that exist in the mass phenomena of society. He showed how to analyze and process the primary material. Grunt made his first attempt to create a mortality table.
The English astronomer E. Halley (his portrait is presented above) proposed the law of large numbers. He also used methods to eliminate deviations (random). V. Petty is a scientist who carried out a number of important scientific works that marked the history of statistics. In these works, he sought to evaluate a particular phenomenon, even if there was a lack of numerical data.
Scientists working in the field of political arithmetic tried to characterize the state of society and its development with the help of numbers, to understand the laws of various phenomena in it, which are manifested in mass material. The tasks and goals they pursued are close to today's understanding of such a science as statistics. The history of its further development is characterized by new achievements. Let's move on to their consideration.
Statistical and mathematical direction
In the first half of the 19th century a third direction appeared - statistical and mathematical. The scientist A. Ketle (years of life - 1796-1874, a portrait is presented above) made a special contribution to its development. He called statistics social physics, that is, science that studies the laws of society using quantitative methods. Quetelet substantiated the idea of applying patterns derived from a mass of cases as an essential tool with which objective reality can be known.
Further development of statistics in the West
The history of statistics abroad in the 19th century was supplemented by new names and achievements. F. Galton (years of life - 1822-1911) and C. Piersons, who lived from 1857 to 1936 - English scientists who made a significant contribution to the further development of this field of knowledge. The first of them seriously addressed the problem of heredity. Galton (his portrait is presented above) soon applied statistical methods to her analysis, which yielded positive results.
R. Fisher (years of life - 1890-1962) is the most famous Western scientist in the area of interest to us in the 20th century. He worked for 50 years. Many of Fisher's studies significantly influenced the further development of such a field of knowledge as statistics.
History of statistics of Ancient Russia
As for our country, in Russia as early as 10-12 centuries information was collected regarding taxation. During the reforms of Peter I, almost all areas of society were affected. This required a lot of accurate statistical information regarding the registration of factories and plants, bread prices, the number of cities and their population, foreign trade, etc.
Descriptive School
In our country, a descriptive trend developed rapidly, and on the basis of this a history of statistics in Russia was formed. The largest representatives of the descriptive school are scholars such as M.V. Lomonosov (years of life - 1711-1765), I.K. Kirillov (1689-1737), K.F. German (1767-1838), and V.N. Tatishchev (his portrait is presented above), who lived in the period from 1686 to 1750.
Kirillov’s work is one of the first in our country economic and geographical descriptions presented systematically. The further history of the development of statistics is connected with the name of such a scientist as Tatishchev, who made a great contribution to this field of knowledge. He created a detailed program that allows you to get the information that was needed to compile the geography of the state with a full economic description of the country.
Lomonosov's contribution to statistics
The history of the development of statistics in our country is largely connected with the name of the great scientist Mikhail Vasilievich Lomonosov. In 1755, he wrote a book called The Word of Honor to Emperor Peter the Great. It assessed the implementation of the Petrovsky audit shortly before this. Mikhail Vasilievich dealt in his writings with a number of issues that were related to finance, population, natural wealth, etc.
The improvement of the method of preparing and examining data characterizing the population, geography, and state economy in trade, agriculture, transport, industry, etc. is considered a special merit of Lomonosov. This program was first developed by V.N. Tatishchev. It was intended for the Atlas of Russia. According to this program, special survey forms were sent to counties and cities. For a long time, materials entered the academy. They managed to be processed after the death of Mikhail Vasilyevich.
The development of statistics in Russia in the 19th century
The history of science statistics in our country was marked by a number of achievements in the 19th century. A number of major works devoted to the theory of this field of knowledge appeared at the beginning of this century. K.F. German in his book entitled "The General Theory of Statistics" outlined the fundamental directions that characterize this science. A large role in the history of the development of the field of knowledge that interests us belongs to the works of K. I. Arsenyev (years of life - 1789-1856). This scientist believed that statistical science is able to adequately characterize the state of affairs in the state.
The scientist D.P. Zhuravsky, who lived in the period from 1810 to 1856, has an important merit - the presentation of the theoretical foundations of statistics in the form of a system. He revealed the principle that qualitative and quantitative analysis should be considered in unity.
A characteristic feature of the representatives of the academic school of the science of interest to us was their desire to replace the study of the state with the study of society. Its founders are E. Yu. Yanson (1835-93), A.I. Chuprov (years of life - 1842-1908), N.A. Kablukov, A.A. Kaufman. Scientists working in the field of academic statistics have done a lot to develop the science of interest to us in Russia. Their activities had a positive effect on the work of various statistical bodies. The formation of the mathematical direction in our country was greatly influenced by the works of such domestic mathematicians as P. P. Chebyshev, A. A. Markov and A. M. Lyapunov.
Modern tasks and statistics bodies in our country
In the works of V. I. Khotimsky, V. N. Starovsky, V. S. Nemchinov, B. S. Yastremsky, A. Ya. Boyarsky, L. V. Nekrash and others, the history of statistics was briefly summarized. They collected the experience of Russian scientists in this area. Today in our country, work is underway to improve the system, as well as to translate the methodology into accounting principles adopted in foreign practice in accordance with the requirements of the laws of the development of a market economy.
The Goskomstat of Russia is today the central body of the state statistics system in our country. This is a federal executive body. The system of state statistics in our country is represented by other organizations. These are its bodies in the republics, territories, autonomous okrugs and regions, districts and cities, as well as their subordinate institutions.
The modern content of the concept of "statistics"
The development of this science, the expansion of its practical application, has led to the fact that the content of its very concept has changed. Today, the term statistics is used in the following three meanings.
- It is understood as a branch of a person’s practical activity aimed at collecting and processing mass data on various phenomena of society’s life, as well as their subsequent analysis and publication. “Statistics” in this sense is synonymous with such a phrase as “statistical accounting”.
- The next value is digital material that is used to characterize a particular sphere of social phenomena or is used when considering the distribution of a certain indicator in a territorial sense.
- Statistics also refers to the branch of knowledge, a separate scientific discipline, as well as a subject taught in secondary and higher educational institutions.
So, we briefly described such a branch of knowledge as statistics. The history of its origin and development was presented in this article. It should be emphasized that this science is still developing. The history of statistics, briefly described in the article, will be supplemented with new achievements over time.