Henry Evelyn Bliss, a scholar in library classification, developed the Bibliographic Classification (BC) system between 1940 and 1953. He believed that there exists a natural order of main classes based on scientific and educational consensus. The order of main classes in BC is as follows:
A Philosophy
AM Mathematics
B Physics
C Chemistry
D Astronomy
E/G Biology
H Anthropology
I Psychology
J Education
K Social Sciences
L/O History
P Religion (Alternative: Z)
Q Social Welfare
R Political Sciences
S Law
T Economics
U Technology
V Fine arts
K Social Science
W/Y Language and Literature
L/O History
Z Religion (Alternative: P)
P Religion (Alt)
Bliss employed the principles of collocation and subordination to group closely related subjects together. He also provided alternative locations for some subjects, such as economic history being placed with either economics or general history. However, his theory of consensus has faced criticism. It is argued that since knowledge is social, there is no permanent order of main classes in nature. The order changes as new subjects, particularly multidisciplinary ones, emerge, which affects the status of other classes. The provision of alternative locations also contradicts the notion of a fixed order. Nonetheless, the order of main classes in BC is considered logical and relatively stable, making it a better system than some of its rivals.
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