The Piglets That Fell From the Sky: Some Cautionary Tales about Greek Statistics

This paper discusses a Greek instance of the social construction of statistics, and has relevance for attempts to estimate past populations from records of contemporary agricultural production. These figures often arise from calculation and guesswork based on extensive and detailed local knowledge. Those consulting such records require an understanding of local conditions in order to interpret the figures and to spot inconsistencies and systematic over and under reporting. The paper argues that when the historical and cultural backgrounds and the politics of information are understood which give rise to the systematic social processes lying behind the production of these so-called ‘poor quality’ statistics, then there is a basis for a systematic critical revision and use of them.