Statistics in the Eyes of the Modern Russian Society: Good or Evil?

Abstract

Historically, statistics arose from the needs of society in obtaining information about the state of production, markets for goods and services, labor, as well as from the need to analyze the data for further socioeconomic development. For a long time, statistics have been understood as the science of collecting, processing, and analyzing quantitative indicators on the dynamics of mass phenomena and processes, which is the most important tool for implementing state plans and tasks.One of the classics of statistics, V. Pokrovsky wrote as early as 1874: “... Statistical figures are the best way to verify the correctness and appropriateness of measures used for public improvement. ... But for statistics to be of such importance, it is necessary to use its data with extreme caution and impartiality. ... The widest variety of opinions exists on almost all public issues, and each opinion tries to find support in statistical facts and figures. ... It is not the fault of statistics that every political party uses statistics for its own purposes, that statistics support the most unjust and absurd opinions”. [1]In our time, this statement has not lost its relevance, because very often, using the same statistical indicators, politicians, economists, scientists to justify their point of view, give directly opposite results. But is there a clear understanding of statistics in modern society? What is the value of statistics? What is the statistical literacy of the population? Do people need to learn the language of numbers? In the proposed paper, the author sets out the view on these issues and invites you to join the discussion of the issues raised.