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Accurately collected data means truth about people, economies and government. True and reliable data have a critical role in determining whether a nation takes the path towards freedom or oppression, prosperity or poverty.
Martin C.W. Walker and
Muneeb Sikander write that data can literally make the difference between life and death, especially in the context of developing countries.
Complex civilisations throughout history have recognised the importance of collecting and using accurate data. The Harappa civilisation that flourished over four thousand years ago in what is now modern-day Pakistan is noted for its urban planning, including sophisticated water supply and drainage systems. Some of the most notable artefacts are perfectly standardised weights that were used for measurement across the cities of the civilisation. As other civilisations grew in sophistication, the techniques used to gather data developed as well from the censuses of the Roman world to Doomsday Book of William the Conqueror.