Historical economic statistics in Indonesia: Continuity and change

Abstract

Introduction

The quality of statistical data generated in the less-developed countries of Asia in the past is often considered to be low, and consistent time series often do not stretch further back than the 1950s. However, in the case of Indonesia, the 16 volumes in the series Changing Economy in Indonesia: A Selection of Statistical Source Material from the Early 19th Century up to 1940 (1975-1995) seem to suggest that relatively modern and consistent data on, for instance, population, foreign trade and food production are available from the early 19th century.

The quality of Indonesia's historical statistics has been the subject of continuous debate. One way to assess quality is to ponder the reasons why statistics were collected and to gauge the technical and financial resources which were committed to this effort. The history of statistical reporting in colonial Indonesia suggests that, not the poor quality of the data, but rather the growing use of economic statistics in the formulation of macro-economic policies, led to a gradual improvement in statistical reporting. Understanding the historical changes in the process by which such policies were formulated therefore helps us to understand changes in the quality of the statistical data. Show more