Statistics and politics in the 18th century

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. (author's abstract)

Alternative title
Statistik und Politik im 18. Jahrhundert
Location
Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
Extent
Online-Ressource
Language
Englisch

Bibliographic citation
Statistics and politics in the 18th century ; volume:41 ; number:2 ; year:2016 ; pages:238-257
Veröffentlichungsversion
begutachtet (peer reviewed)
Historical social research ; 41, Heft 2 (2016), 238-257

Classification
Sozialwissenschaften, Soziologie, Anthropologie
Wirtschaft

Creator
Behrisch, Lars

DOI
10.12759/hsr.41.2016.2.238-257
URN
urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-468699
Rights
Open Access; Open Access; Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.
Last update
14.08.2025, 10:54 AM CEST

Data provider

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Associated

  • Behrisch, Lars

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