I tracked it down: [37] is from a book called “The Lady Tasting Tea” by retired statistician David Salsburg, pages 147-149. While I’m sure he’s knowledgeable about statistics, he doesn’t seem to have any special qualifications regarding history.
I also went to the trouble of tracking down a pdf:
The claims about the government of the USSR seeing statistics as “an insult” seem to be partially his own speculation and partially the speculation of a statistics journal from the 50’s, rather than being drawn from any kind of official statements. The only claims that seem to have something to do with material reality are:
The parts about the Vestnik Statistiki
A couple researchers leaving the field of statistics
I see absolutely nothing that suggests the study of statistics was banned or sidelined in any way.
Good call.
I tracked it down: [37] is from a book called “The Lady Tasting Tea” by retired statistician David Salsburg, pages 147-149. While I’m sure he’s knowledgeable about statistics, he doesn’t seem to have any special qualifications regarding history.
I also went to the trouble of tracking down a pdf:
The claims about the government of the USSR seeing statistics as “an insult” seem to be partially his own speculation and partially the speculation of a statistics journal from the 50’s, rather than being drawn from any kind of official statements. The only claims that seem to have something to do with material reality are:
The parts about the Vestnik Statistiki
A couple researchers leaving the field of statistics
I see absolutely nothing that suggests the study of statistics was banned or sidelined in any way.