UK Census?

[Kit-Fox]

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[Jim]

Its fantastic. Great use as a historical source in many years. I only wish i could say the same for medieval sources im reading right now

But it should ask for more information, and more opinions! So in thousands of years time people can read that I like to play SGW!

Also, i put my religion as Winning. So dont listen to my opinion. Im a fool

[Kit-Fox]

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[[KMA]Avenger]

On the one hand...I DO NOT APPROVE! On the other hand it's great...


I'll post something a bit more detailed explaining the above statement tomorrow

[Jim]

So not thinking its an outdated gross invasion of privacy then?

or a system that is woefully not fit for its stated purpose of working out funding for various facilities?

Nope, as a historian I very much approve of it.

[Kit-Fox]

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[RepliMagni]

Actually Jim, I think as an historical source, the census is almost singularly useless. Nothing specific whatsoever - some vague questions about general health, a little about qualifications, etc - it could be used for family reconstitutions but little else really. I'm currently looking at 16th century probate inventories - literally going around and valuing every item in a person's house. When added to parish registers and the person's will, they provide far more useful information than the census. The census is much more about local services and targets than anything else really.

I'm not saying I'm against the census, just that in general its pretty darn useless.

[ƒëmmë ƒatalë]

I don't know what current Census are like over there, but old ones as Jim said are great source of history.. especially for family history buffs.

Was a shame Australian Censuses got deleted previous to the last one, where ppl were giving option to have their info kept.

[Psyko]

While I am not a historian, I do find resources and knowledge like census information to be valuable to my family as we attempt to fill in our family tree. I think knowing who an ancestor was and what they did is something very valuable and I wish that more of my family had actually participated in the census so that my family and I could trace it back further than we have managed so far.

I'm not in the UK, so I cannot address privacy invasion concerns for the UK census, but the American census does not ask any question that I consider to be an invasion of my privacy. The same basic information can be found on my driver's license and is therefore already recorded in the Dept. of Motor Vehicles database. It's not an invasion of privacy at all.

[Jack]

I'm not in the UK, so I cannot address privacy invasion concerns for the UK census, but the American census does not ask any question that I consider to be an invasion of my privacy. The same basic information can be found on my driver's license and is therefore already recorded in the Dept. of Motor Vehicles database. It's not an invasion of privacy at all.

That is assuming you even have one and that all states collect the same information. The DMV database is for the state only and not freely available to the fed. It would be understandable to be okay with having that info available to the state and not the fed.

I don't know about your state, but the only info given to the DMV in Texas is your name, DoB, height, weight, eye color and hair color. Of course they want to verify your identity, which is usually done with a social security card and birth certificate.

The U.S. Census asks a lot more questions than that.

I'm not saying I'm against the census, but I'm also not saying that I support it. The census is optional as it should be. But I think that everyone should fill out the basic information requested. As doing so means that you will be represented fairly.

[Kit-Fox]

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[Jack]

Providing false info should be a crime. It should be optional though and you should be able to only fill out certain parts of it. Like how many people live with you and what their ages are.

Giving false information is basically fraud.

[MEZZANINE]

Although the historical records are interesting the primary function of the Census is as a future planning tool, if used correctly the information is for forward planning for the needs of the people, how many school places will be needed in each area in 5 or 10 years time, how much hospital capacity, public transport, new housing and jobs for those who will leave education in the next few years.

Of course the ability of government, central and local to actually use the information correctly and meet the needs of the people is questionable at best, but the function of and need for a regular Census is clear.

As for the joke question 'Religion ?', personally I am undecided between one of two answers I want to put in

1) No thanks I had an education instead

or

2) Jedi ( the old favorite )

[Kit-Fox]

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[Jack]

As for the joke question 'Religion ?', personally I am undecided between one of two answers I want to put in

1) No thanks I had an education instead

or

2) Jedi ( the old favorite )

The Natzie Buddhist Church of Peace and Terror for me, thanks. vOv