From the early 19th century, demographic statistics became a powerful tool for orienting state policies (reducing differences between social groups by Quetelet’s ‘average man’ concept, for instance). National statistical systems were built around the demographic statistics, which were constructed on the basis of national social and economic interests. These were, and are, very different from one country to another. The attempts of demographers and statisticians to standardise statistics – in the first International Congresses on Statistics – were of little interest to the heads of state. To the extent that, even today, there is no consensus on census categories and vital statistics.

Such close ties between national politics and demographic statistics explain how fragile the latter can be. This has been clearly illustrated in recent years in the USSR successor states.

The principal concern of demographic statistics is to provide information on the state or movement of a society. Should this information be independent of the political environment – which may change at any moment – or should it be subject to change when this changes? Should demographic statistics be the tool of society or a tool wielded by politicians?

This is one theme of reflection proposed for this theme-section.

With the formation of colonial Empires, the world was carved up between major powers, and demographic statistical systems elaborated in the metropoles were exported towards the colonies. Intended to improve the administration of the territories, these systems were often a means to integrate or on the contrary to exclude, by applying categories that were not adapted to the local cultures.

The construction and application of statistical categories is a highly sensitive issue in the politics of demographic statistics. The concepts of ethnic group, migrant, household, family, have been the subject of heated discussions. The problems of construction, use and misuse of statistical categories thus naturally emerges as a second theme of reflection.

Finally, the direct or indirect manipulation of demographic data for political goals is the third proposed line of reflection. Examples could be the use of the « per capita » concept –GNP, GDP, human development index – as indicators of development, and in turn as criteria for obtaining international aid…

It would perhaps be of interest to view the present-day problems in the light of history, and discuss their origins as well as the correlations between past and present.