(Un lecteur du Canada, Jan de Bondy, m'a envoyé une table des poids et mesures employés quotidiennement dans son pays. Ce m'est l'occasion de remettre en ligne un billet écrit il y a 2 ans et demi pour SF. Certains le connaissent déjà, d'autres le découvriront peut-être.)
On 18 germinal 1795 (April 7th, 1795) the metric system was voted in France as the revolutionary new system of measurement that would be used throughout the country. However, it took another 50 years (1837) before it became mandatory.
Since then, the entire world has taken up the system developed by the French, from China to Chile from Russia to Qatar. Talk about France’s waning influence…
Well, on second thought, not the entire world.
The Imperial system, still in use in the UK and the Commonwealth, is based on Roman and old Anglo-Saxon units. Enter a Tolkien-like universe of thumbs, chains, furlongs, ounces, pounds, and other pecks and bushels. Add the Fahrenheit temperature measurement system and you have a complete recipe for confusion. Even the British, so fond of their system that is so old that it sometimes stands as a symbol of obscurantism, have decided some years ago to discard the Fahrenheit system in favor of the Celsius one. British TV weather forecasts now use Celsius degrees exclusively.
Understandably, it wasn’t historically acceptable for the US to adopt the English imperial system. So they implemented the U.S. customary units in its place.
But in essence, it is the same system, as old fashioned and medieval-like as the English one. Slight differences, no more. Americans’ weight is measured in pounds, their height in feet (why not knee or ankles?), they buy their gasoline by the gallon (old Latin for bucket!) or their oil by the barrel (from the French 12th century word baril.)
And while it hasn’t prevented America to be the world power we know about, the parallel existence of this antiquated system along with the metric one turned out to be the basic cause for the failure of a MARS explorer satellite 6 years ago. Let’s note that officially, the U.S. has been “metric” since 1866. In practice however, metric units are simply not used.
Now the question is not to compare both systems or decide which one is “better” (the world seems to have made up its mind a long time ago…) but to ponder how a country that is so often 10 years ahead of the rest of the world when it comes to technological feats and scientific prowess can continue to use such an archaic system of measurement.
And I for one sometimes wonder whether the widespread acceptance of a medieval system may have anything to do with the fact that 45% of Americans believe that God created humans in their present form 10,000 years ago…
Note #1: Click here for an online Conversion Calculator.
Note #2: The painting is “Woman holding a balance” by Vermeer:
5 commentaires:
It is quite ironic that the Brits and their cultural heirs have been so relentlessly strapped on the imperial system, since the first serious attempt to have a universal decimal system was by an English, John Wilkins, in 1670 more or less. The name meter was given by an Italian (forgot his name) about 100 years later.
Though the metric system appears today as a consequence of the French revolution, "the revolutionnary system", it has come a long way, through the works of many mathematicians in many eurpean countries. And, in fact, it was Louis XVI who, before the revolution, initiated the final work that would lead to the metric system : measuring the Dunkirk-Barcelona meridian.
The need for a universal system was so universaly acknowledged that, when a war broke out between France and Spain during the measurement of the meridian, the french scientists were allowed to go on with their work in Spain, escorted by spanish soldiers to protect them.
There are people who believe that the general adoption of the metric system shows how much influence France had. It doesn't anymore than the adoption of penicilline shows the influence of GB.
zappow,
I remember reading in Spirou (a long, long time ago...) the story of the measurement of the meridian by Méchain in Spain (where he died about 10 years latter).
I'm not sure I completely agree with your last paragraph.
More precisely, can we compare the discovery (through chance, more or less) of a single individual, be it French, British or from Balouchistan and a system of measurements, a system of thoughts eventually, which permits societies all over the world to "grasp" the same reality in its basic and immediate appearence?
All the more since, as you pointed out, the metric system was finally the work of many scientists from different countries.
But I agree also that the "final touch" happened in France, whereas it could have happened in Germany or Rome. French historical context made it possible.
But one may question, as you do, the validity of France's influence.
I like the word for the U.S. units of mass, "avoirdupois". To make easy conversions you just have to remember that the pound avoirdupois, 16 oz, is defined as exactly 453.59237 grams. Easy.
If I remember correctly, one or two of the original meter bars is in the U.S. I think Jefferson ordered it or them at the time and brought them to the U.S.
ned,
I discovered the name "avoirdupois" decades ago in my old Harrap's shorter and it didn't fail to make me smile.
All the more since a French would expect to read "avoir du poids" 'with d ending "poids".
Middle ages thingie again...
As for Jefferson and the original meter bars, some research would be needed.
Which original meter bars at the time Jefferson was alive?
http://tinyurl.com/2jwq6v
-Jan
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