The story of the first national census: the consequences of delays due to the pandemic and the first policy of the state of Sarmiento

Mariano Moreno attempted to apply the census in the provinces that make up the governor general. It was 1810. It would have been very partially done in Buenos Aires. The General Assembly of XIII claimed the census, but it was not lucky and was recently decided by Justo José de Urquiza, but it was not systematized and many places did not feel relieved.

The history of the census in Argentina is vast; partial or limited, there is unanimous agreement among historians. The first officer was created on September 15, 16 and 17, 1869. Its origin is 7 years ago, after the law passed by Congress on September 27, 1862 enacted the general census. The following month, Bartolomé Mitre held the presidency, but it could not be implemented during the six years of administration.

When he was in the presidency, Domingo Faustino Sarmiento took the bull to the horns. He appointed the superintendent of the Census Diego de la Fuente and began to work. The country was divided into five zones: North, South, East, West and National Territory.In these large departments, as De la Fuente pointed out, a population of 3,045 people defined as “ordinary civilian” and “understandable, characterized and responsible agents” I was relieved by a department with a more limited number of survey takers. In addition, 700 census members, controlled by about 15 local commissioners As officials wrote, only three officers were reprimanded for failing to do their job properly. Initially, it was thought to leave a form in each house, but the idea was quickly abandoned.

According to the census, there were 1,877,490 inhabitants in the country. However, there was a fact that surprised him. Of the 413,465 school-age children, only 82,671 did so. There were more than 300,000 uneducated children. And he was surprised when he found out that the population density did not reach a single inhabitant every 2 square kilometers.We hardly surpassed Siberia and New Guinea.

The survey showed a total of 897,780 men and 843,572 women. They also joined the armed forces fighting in Paraguay and overseas Argentine.There was a difference in favor of 49,351 women while excluding immigrants. There was a significant majority of women in Corrientes, Santa Fe, and Entre Rios.Foreigners were concentrated in Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos, and Santa Fe.

Poverty reached 75% of the population, and it was a long life expectancy: 234 people passed 100 years and scored 1,172 Africans.

The largest number of married people were in Jujuy. There were a total of 383,119 people in the country, and 88,902 widowers were counted, there was a difference in favor of women, a situation that turned out to be logical due to the war. And 28,319 women answered that they lived in “Amanchebamiento”.

In addition, 361 individuals were found to be engaged in prostitution, but a warning appeared that this number should be multiplied by 10.

Without education

Although 360,683 of the census test takers were able to read and 312,011 were able to write, it was estimated that not everyone answered the truth and this figure should be subtracted by 30%. Of the 413,465 children aged 6 to 14 who could attend school, only 82,671 did not.More than 300,000 people did not attend classrooms.

Of the 300,000 citizens who were eligible to vote, only 50,000 read and write, and the rest did not receive any instructions.De la Fuente said, “A well-understood democracy is achieved only by educated people, those who can call themselves citizens, ignorant people do not understand one thing or another, the master spring of voting against democratic governments is distorted, and most of them are invalid, appearance or falsification”.

The census also considered counting “crazy, cretin, stupid” and deaf, dumb, and blind.In addition, the civil war caused 2,888 people with disabilities.

There were 458 doctors, outperformed by 1047 healers, 439 lawyers, and 1442 teachers. Of the 140,000 women, trades were distributed, including seamstresses, washing machines, weavers, irons, cigar makers and kneaders. When immigrants arrived, a wide range of deals would take place, such as watchmakers, tailors, typographers, saddlers, and hairdressers.Buenos Aires was home to the largest number of liberal and scientific professionals.

262,433 houses were built, most of which were made of wood, cane, and straw, and the fewest houses were made of roofs and tiles. The average was 692 people per 100 households. Argentina had 180 cities, villages, towns and villages, and their density did not reach a single inhabitant every 2 square kilometers.

The census costs 189,794 pesos and was published in 1872. The final conclusion was delayed due to the yellow fever epidemic that hit the country at the beginning of the previous year.

With the numbers in hand, Sarmiento called to a cabinet meeting, where I would proclaim the first state policy: “Ministers, given the first census data, I was a school, a school for a century.”

History is also known. In 1874, when leaving the government, 100,000 boys were officially educated. They also brought the model of the general school to train teachers. The first school opened in 1869, and some people hired American teachers in fear. Of the 20 schools that existed when Juan Manuel de Rosas collapsed in 1852, the number increased to 1,120 at the end of his term.

For Sarmiento, it was clear that the census was useful not only to find out how many people we were, but also to find out where we wanted to go.

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