Institutionalization of statistical science in universities of the Russian Empire (late XVIII – early XIX centuries)

Abstract

The object of this research is the process of institutionalization of statistical science in Russia in the early XIX century. The article examines the history of emergence within the structure of Russian universities of the corresponding departments and inclusion of statistical knowledge into lectures. The author analyzes the peculiarities of teaching statistical science in the Moscow, Kharkov, Kazan, and Saint Petersburg universities. Special attention is given to the activity of M. l. Magnitsky and D. P. Runich, which led to termination of the reputable scholars-statisticians from Kazan and Saint Petersburg universities. The research leans on the basic methods of historical science – problem-chronological for studying the time sequence of events; historical-genetic and historical comparative that allow studying the genesis and key stages of development of statistical education in the Russian universities. It is established that teaching statistics in form of political science initially appeared in the last third of the XVIII century in the Moscow University. Statistical courses were read upon personal initiative of the professors and were not established by the provisional “Project” of 1755. In their lectures, the first educators were guided by the experience of Göttingen University, which in the mid XVIII century became the center of the German school of political science. The university reform of 1802-1804 in Russia led to the creation of new system of higher education. In accordance with the norms of the Decrees of 1804, statistics was introduced into the curriculum of Russian universities for the first time. The article explores the key stages of organization of teaching statistics, such as unification of the content of lectures, publishing of course books, establishment of scientific schools.