Metrication

Metrication, or metrification, is the process of converting from the various other systems of units used throughout the world to the metric or SI (Système International) system. This process was begun in France in the 1790's and spread over the following two centuries to all but four countries, representing 95% of the world's population. The process was completed in most of the world in the 19th and early 20th centuries, replacing numerous historical weights and measures. The countries of the former British Empire completed metrification during the second half of the 20th century, with Ireland recently completing metrication on 20th January 2005. Today only the UK, U.S., Liberia and Burma (Myanmar) have not fully metricated, although Liberia and Myanmar use it in practice and the UK is currently in the process of conversion. Only France, the US, UK and Japan saw any large scale popular opposition to metrication, the main objections being based on tradition, aesthetics and distaste for a 'foreign' system.

Conversion process

There are three common routes in converting from traditional measurements to metric, the quick 'Big-Bang' route used by India and other pre-industrial nations or the slow 'phase-in' route favoured by industrial nations. The first plan is to simultaneously outlaw the use of pre-metric measurement, metricise and re-issue all government publications and laws, and change education systems to metric. India's change over lasted between 1st April 1960 when metric became legal, and 1st April 1962 when all other systems were banned. The India model was extremely sucessful and was copied over much of the developing world.

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The second possibility is to pass a law permitting the use of metric units in paralled with traditional ones, followed by progressively banning the use of the older measures. This has generally been a slow route to metric. The British Empire permitted the use of metric in 1873, but changeover wasn't completed until the 1970's and 80's when government took an active role in the now-independent parts of the empire. Japan too followed this route, and did not complete change over for 70 years.

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A third possibility is to redefine traditional units to have metric values. China followed this route, and thus while scientists in China know and use the kilogram, common people retain the jin, which now has a value of 500g. This route was once proposed for England with the pound to be redefined as 500g, but the plan did not receive government support. In the Netherlands, 500g is informally refered to a pond (pound) and 100g as an ons (ounce).

Related Topics:
Proposed for England - Pound - The Netherlands

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It is difficult to judge the degree to which ordinary people change to using metric in their daily lives. In countries which have recently changed, many older people still use the old familiar system. In Canada, ovens and cooking temperatures are almost always measured in Fahrenheit, and Canadians almost invariably use Fahrenheit for cooking. In the UK, which is in the process of change over, metric units are often used interchangably with older measurements. Such countries could be said to be "semi-metric".

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