RETIREMENT AND PROFIT SHARING PLANS - Pre-Tax Accumulated Net Actuarial Loss and Prior Service Cost (credit) Recognized in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Aug. 31, 2017	Aug. 31, 2016
U.S. and Non-U.S. Plans
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net loss	$ 142,197	$ 143,777
Prior service (credit) cost	27,656	31,569
Accumulated other comprehensive loss, pre-tax	169,853	175,346
UNITED STATES
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net loss	112,015	592,873
Prior service (credit) cost	0	0
Accumulated other comprehensive loss, pre-tax	112,015	592,873
Non-U.S. Plans \| Pension Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net loss	386,428	480,408
Prior service (credit) cost	(5,222)	(6,860)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss, pre-tax	$ 381,206	$ 473,548

Amount, before tax, of accumulated other comprehensive (income) loss for defined benefit plan, that has not been recognized in net periodic benefit cost (credit).

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 14A
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84228862&loc=SL7669686-108580

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 10A
-Subparagraph (i-k)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84228862&loc=SL7669646-108580

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- Definition

Amount, before tax, of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) for gain (loss) of defined benefit plan, that has not been recognized in net periodic benefit (cost) credit.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (j)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82843861&loc=d3e1928-114920

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 14A
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84228862&loc=SL7669686-108580

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- Definition

Amount, before tax, of accumulated other comprehensive (income) loss for cost (credit) of benefit change attributable to participants' prior service from plan amendment or plan initiation of defined benefit plan, that has not been recognized in net periodic benefit cost (credit).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 14A
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84228862&loc=SL7669686-108580

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (j)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82843861&loc=d3e1928-114920

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- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

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