RETIREMENT AND PROFIT SHARING PLANS - Information for Material Defined Benefit Pension Plans with Projected Benefit Obligations in Excess of Plan Assets (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Aug. 31, 2017	Aug. 31, 2016
U.S. and Non-U.S. Plans
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Projected benefit obligation	$ 529,680	$ 500,964
Fair value of plan assets	26,541	27,130
UNITED STATES \| Pension Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Projected benefit obligation	342,863	2,030,006
Fair value of plan assets	202,502	1,801,435
Non-U.S. Plans \| Pension Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Projected benefit obligation	1,037,634	1,400,510
Fair value of plan assets	$ 310,839	$ 664,220

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- Definition

Amount of benefit obligation for defined benefit plan with benefit obligation in excess of plan assets.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82843861&loc=d3e2417-114920

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- Definition

Fair value of plan assets for defined benefit plan with benefit obligation in excess of plan assets.

+ References

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