The term "social statistics" is interpreted in different ways. On the one hand, this is science, and on the other, practical activity. As a science, it is treated as a system of methods and techniques for collecting, processing, storing and analyzing information in numerical terms. This information carries data on social phenomena and processes in society.
As a practical activity, social statistics is a focus on the collection and synthesis of numerical materials that characterize various social processes. This processing is performed with the help of state statistics bodies or other organizations.
But these two areas do not exist autonomously, they are in constant interconnection with each other. Previously, there was no special information processing system , it was only primitively fixed and had no methodology. In the process of complicating the methods and techniques of recording and summarizing data, a need arose to improve the system for collecting, storing and processing information. Thus, over time, social statistics appeared.
Statistics itself has become science for quite some time, and its independent branches, such as agricultural statistics, industrial statistics, population, etc., have gradually stood out. Social appeared one of the last.
Social statistics is responsible for solving the following problems:
- analysis of the social sphere;
- Characterization of important patterns and trends in the development of social infrastructure ;
- analysis of the level and living conditions of people;
- characteristics of the dynamics of changes in indicators;
- predicting the likely course of development, etc.
The processes and phenomena that fill the social life of society are subjected to statistical analysis. It is carried out by applying specific methods of generalizing indicators, which measure the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the studied object in numerical values.
Socio-economic statistics is a scientific discipline that studies mass processes and phenomena in the social sphere and economy. It consists of several sections:
- the standard of living of the population;
- demographic section;
- labor and employment;
- statistics of prices and investments, etc.
The system of indicators of socio-economic statistics reflects social life, trends, etc. It includes the following:
- price dynamics;
- volume and cost of production;
- composition and population;
- the standard of living of people;
- incomes and expenses of the population;
- material, labor and financial resources;
- productivity and remuneration;
- the presence of working capital and fixed assets;
- macroeconomic indicators.
The calculation of these indicators is carried out using tools and methods from general statistics. It is important to be able to compare indicators in space and time.
Socio-economic research requires fundamental knowledge and professionalism. It is not an easy task to transform ordinary statistical data into a clear, concise, convincing and figurative form.