Government Statistical Agencies and the Politics of Credibility

Politicians do not have control over official statistics in liberal democracies; instead, key decisions are left to statisticians in independent statistical agencies. This research shows that official statistics are consistently insulated from direct political interference, but there are subtle pressures and tensions that governments and statisticians must manage. Differences in decision-making powers across countries are the result of shifting pressures and the different national contexts that provide distinctive institutional settings for the production of government numbers.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 244 pages
Publication date: 09 March 2023
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Who decides how official statistics are produced? Do politicians have control or are key decisions left to statisticians in independent statistical agencies? Interviews with statisticians in Australia, Canada, Sweden, the UK, and the USA were conducted to get insider perspectives on the nature of decision-making in government statistical administration. While the popular adage suggests there are "lies, damned lies, and statistics," this research shows that official statistics in liberal democracies are far from mistruths; they are consistently insulated from direct political interference. Yet, a range of subtle pressures and tensions exist that governments and statisticians must manage. The power over statistics is distributed differently in different countries, and this book explains why. Differences in decision-making powers across countries are the result of shifting pressures politicians and statisticians face to be credible, and the different national contexts that provide distinctive institutional settings for the production of government numbers.

While the popular adage suggests there are "lies, damned lies, and statistics," this research shows that official statistics in liberal democracies are far from mistruths; they are consistently insulated from direct political interference.

Yet, a range of subtle pressures and tensions exist that governments and statisticians must manage.

The power over statistics is distributed differently in different countries, and this book explains why.

Differences in decision-making powers across countries are the result of shifting pressures politicians and statisticians face to be credible, and the different national contexts that provide distinctive institutional settings for the production of government numbers.

Weight: 366g
Dimension: 151 x 228 x 16 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781108811750