Acquisitions - Narrative (Details) € in Millions					3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Feb. 03, 2014 USD ($) shares	Nov. 01, 2013 USD ($) shares	Aug. 01, 2013 USD ($) shares	Aug. 01, 2013 EUR (€) shares	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Nov. 02, 2013 USD ($)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Current year goodwill impairment charge							$ 7,000,000
Impairment of intangible assets							186,600,000
Contingent consideration - liability					$ 310,600,000		$ 310,600,000	$ 384,600,000	$ 350,300,000
Diversified Global Asset Management Corporation
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Date of acquisition							Feb. 03, 2014
Equity interest (as a percent)	100.00%
Fee-earning assets under management	$ 2,900,000,000
Assets under management	3,600,000,000
Cash	$ 8,000,000
Purchase price - newly issued common units (in shares) | shares	662,134
The Carlyle Group L.P. common units	$ 23,100,000
Contingent consideration - cash	23,700,000
Contingent consideration - common units	$ 47,300,000
Contingent consideration payment year	2021
Amount paid under contingent compensation arrangements							$ 5,500,000
Amount to be paid under contingent compensation arrangements					12,500,000		$ 12,500,000
Current year goodwill impairment charge					7,000,000
Impairment of intangible assets					$ 15,000,000
Metropolitan
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Date of acquisition							Nov. 01, 2013
Equity interest (as a percent)		100.00%
Cash		$ 12,800,000
Purchase price - newly issued common units (in shares) | shares		67,338
The Carlyle Group L.P. common units		$ 2,100,000
Contingent consideration payment year		2018
Capital commitments		$ 2,600,000,000
Contingent consideration - cash payments		5,000,000.0
Contingent consideration - value of common units		$ 10,000,000.0								$ 10,000,000.0
Issuance of partnership units (in shares) | shares		52,889
Share based compensation amount		$ 1,600,000
Unit vesting period (in years)		5 years
Contingent consideration - liability		$ 10,400,000
Contingent consideration - value of partnership units		$ 10,600,000
Interests issuable year		2023
AlpInvest
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Date of acquisition							Aug. 01, 2013
Cash			$ 6,000,000	€ 4.5
Purchase price - newly issued common units (in shares) | shares			2,887,970	2,887,970
The Carlyle Group L.P. common units			$ 80,800,000
Common units issued to AlpInvest employees that are subject to vesting conditions (in shares) | shares			914,087	914,087
Common units issued to AlpInvest employees that are subject to vesting conditions, value			$ 25,500,000
Option grant vesting period (in years)			5 years	5 years
Shares issued without vesting condition (in shares) | shares			1,973,883	1,973,883
Shares issued without vesting condition, value			$ 55,300,000
Additional ownership percentage acquired in the current year			40.00%	40.00%
Scenario, Forecast | Diversified Global Asset Management Corporation
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Minimum amount of estimated employee separation and other contract termination costs to be incurred with wind down of hedge fund of funds business						$ 10,000,000
Maximum amount of estimated employee separation and other contract termination costs to be incurred with wind down of hedge fund of funds business						$ 15,000,000