MESPOULET MARTINE

University of Nantes

Statistical instrumentation and action of the state

The Soviet case

The quantification of public action concerns education policies in several ways, especially through the assessment of educational practice or training courses or through the international comparison of educational systems and of their outcomes. The design of different types of indicators has become crucial. Insofar as policy-making in Russia was based on a policy of quantification of the various fields of economic and social activity with its corresponding myriad indicators and data in figures, feedback from the Soviet experience might be useful to put in perspective the issues raised by current quantification practice both at national and international level. The COMECON area was also the opportunity for the experimentation of statistical instruments towards planning coordination across various countries. After a reminder of the main tools of Russia’ statistical instrumentation, I will present those that were most used in the field of education and training. Particular emphasis will be put on how time budget surveys were used in studies of two fields –education and training and youth behaviour – essential to Soviet leaders.