The Census in Moscow

by Leo Tolstoy

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About this book

The Census in Moscow is an article by Leo Tolstoy on the census in Moscow, dated 1882. The article says that the object of a census is scientific, that a census is a sociological investigation, and that the object of the science of sociology is the happiness of the people. The text says that sociological investigations are not conducted by learned men in their cabinets, observatories and laboratories, but by two thousand people from the community.

The text describes a census-taker who enters a night lodging-house, finds in the basement a man dying of hunger, and politely inquires his profession, his name, his native place. The text adds that after a little hesitation as to whether he is to be entered in the list as alive, the census-taker writes him in and goes his way. The text says it is necessary that we should not be afraid to soil our boots and clothing, nor fear lice and bedbugs, typhus fever, diphtheria and small-pox.

About the author

Leo Tolstoy

Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy, usually referred to in English as Leo Tolstoy, was a Russian writer. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most influential authors of all time.