Os primeiros processos censitários brasileiros e o desenvolvimento da matemática-estatística no Brasil de 1872 a 1938

Abstract

The aim is to elaborate a historical trajectory of the first brazilian censuses with questions related to the preparation and implementation of these census survey processes. One of the boundaries was the time frame established between the first brazilian census and the creation of the IBGE. We evaluated how, when and which knowledge of mathematics and statistics were highlights in the realization of the first censuses. Thus, we proceed to a historical reflection related to the constitution of the field of statistical knowledge in Brazil, to meet its development in higher education, to learn about the statistics that had been introduced in nineteenth brazilian education. Among the theoretical framework stands out Marc Bloch and Nelson Senra, with important contributions that were referenced by other authors. The methodology used here is that of a historical and documentary research. Among the conclusions we observed that basic descriptive statistics (mathematical-statistical knowledge) such as counts, proportions and tabulations were used in the first three censuses, and in the fourth census, the innovation was the use of counting with the aid of calculators and some graphical representations of data. In these early censuses the tools were mainly observations of vicars, census agents, family lists and forms. The people most directly involved in the preparation of the censuses had varied backgrounds (they were politicians, lawyers, engineers and doctors), but they did not use knowledge and statistical methods that had been developed and made available by the international scientific community. We note the importance of deepening knowledge of the history of statistics and its cultural reflexes for statistical development in Brazil.