Tien jaar ontwikkeling van de maatschappelijke statistiek

Summary A decade of social statistics. The development of descriptive statistics in the post-liberation period can be characterized by the concepts integration and differentiation: side by side with an increasing knowledge of totality there is a constantly growing attention for detail. More so than formerly the central aim of international statistics is the obtaining of a statistical total picture in which on the one hand various statistics and on the other hand various countries can be shown. Moreover, differentiation can be distinguished: on the one hand as to fields of research, on the other hand as to geographical territories. Also from a national point of view there are intensive, integrating tendencies. There is e.g. the system of national accounts in which statistics perform an Emportant executive task. Improvement of information and statistical co-ordination have been taken in hand; consistency is a requirement of the first order and regionalisation is often necessary. With respect to productivity — of major importance for the prosperity of our country — statistics were faced by a great task; much statistical work was done, productivity centres were established and research was organized. Furthermore random sampling technique and public opinion polls, which are indispensable to efficiently collecting statistical data, show an amazing development. More and more research and planning are making use of statistics.