Government Statistical Agencies and the Politics of Credibility

Erscheinungsjahr 2021
ISBN: 978-1-108-49122-8
Verlag: Cambridge University Press

Buch, Englisch, 200 Seiten, Format (B × H): 152 mm x 229 mm, Gewicht: 499 g

Reihe: Cambridge Studies in Comparative Public Policy

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.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Howard, Cosmo Wyndham

Fachgebiete

• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politische Systeme Vergleichende Politikwissenschaft
• Mathematik | Informatik Mathematik Stochastik Mathematische Statistik
• Wirtschaftswissenschaften Volkswirtschaftslehre Volkswirtschaftslehre Allgemein Wirtschaftsstatistik, Demographie
• Wirtschaftswissenschaften Finanzsektor & Finanzdienstleistungen Finanzsektor & Finanzdienstleistungen: Allgemeines

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Introduction; 1. Credibility and official statistics; 2. Australia; 3. Canada; 4. Sweden; 5. The United Kingdom; 6. The United States of America; 7. Conclusions; Notes; List of cited interviews by order of appearance; References; Index.

Über Autor(innen)

Howard, Cosmo Wyndham
Cosmo Howard is Senior Lecturer, School of Government and International Relations, Griffith University. He has taught political science, public policy and administration in Australia and Canada. His research has been published in several books and leading international journals including Governance and Public Administration. He has worked as a consultant for Australian and Canadian governments.