----------------- HES POSTING ----------------- As I devoted much time to this question during the decade 1983/1993, I came back briefly to this point esp. to some points which are still not clear to me: Michel Volle, a French economist and statistician who took part to a symposium about history of economic statistics in France (see Pour une histoire de la statistique. Tome 1. Insee, Imprimerie Nationale, 593 pp. 1976, reprinted by the publishing house economica, paris, 1987) in a paper Naissance de la statistique industrielle (1930-50), 327-366, mentionned as the origin of contemporary concern with industrial statistics (including "industries" sectors branch) the international convention signed in 1928 in Geneve - society of nations) which included a plan to develop comparisons of industrial production etc. the text of this convention is to be found : http://www.admin.ch/ch/f/rs/0_632_14/ (probably an english version of this treatise in which the king of Britain made a reservation for English colonies !! is to be found somewhere on the internet) It seems very likely that this is the true origin of concern in Britain with (branch, sectors, etc.) as a response to the demand of this 1928 treatise. For a more remote concern with industrial statistics, see in the same proceedings (1977 -1987) Tihomir Markowitch, Statistiques industrielles et systèmes politiques, 317-326 Markowitch draws an interesting comparisons between French and British industrial statistics : It seems that French industrial statistics appeared very soon as a consequence of etatism, colbertism etc.. On the contrary, industrial statistics in Uk were to appear very lately as the mood was liberal (and against any intervention of state). Markowitch quotes as a proof of his assertion Ph. Deane & W.A. Cole, British economic growth, 1688-1959, snd edition, Cambridge, 1969 and his own Tihomir Markowitch, Histoire des industries françaises, Droz, Genève, 1976. Alain ALCOUFFE ------------ FOOTER TO HES POSTING ------------ For information, send the message "info HES" to [log in to unmask]