I am reading lots about the history of statistics at the moment and found these two gems of history that I thought you might find intesting
The first is regarding the foundation of statistical societies in Great Britain, in the 1830s, and the fact that these were founded to meet the information needs of philanthropists who had grave concerns for the situation of the poor. Here is a quote from the Cornwal Polytechnic Society sometime in late 1830
The value of statistical information can no longer be doubted. It stimulates benevolence, and gives aim and effect to the energies of the philanthropist; it furnishes the legislator with materials on which to form remedial measures for social happiness (Cornwall Polytechnic Society 183? in Westergaard, 1968:141-142).
I also read of one of the early incidences of book burning and open data in 1707. French Marshal Vauban a fortification specialist who developed methodologies to count people where he was posted was vilified for his use of statistics in his writing about the plight of peasant, their unfair taxation and his proposal to tax the wealthy . He was disgraced and died shortly after this.
I also found numerous instances where statistics were not published, primarily because of great public outcry, people expected their kings to already know about them and why on earth should he count them. It was also fear of taxation and militrary conscription.
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Tracey P. Lauriault
613-234-2805
"Every epoch dreams the one that follows it's the dream form of the future, not its reality" it is the "wish image of the collective".
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