Reconciliation of Income Taxes at Federal Statutory Rate to Effective Tax Rate (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2021	Aug. 31, 2020	Aug. 31, 2019	Aug. 31, 2018
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Percent [Abstract]
Federal statutory rate	21.00%	21.00%	21.00%
State income taxes, net of federal effect	(0.20%)	(0.60%)	(4.00%)
Net effects of foreign tax rate differential and credits	2.80%	38.70%	20.60%
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Foreign derived intangible income deduction, Percent	(3.20%)	0.00%	(9.30%)
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Compensation Adjustment	3.10%	6.60%	4.40%
Impairment and divestiture charges	1.60%	3.30%	19.30%
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Change in Deferred Tax Assets Valuation Allowance, Percent	7.10%	(8.10%)	3.90%
Changes in liability for unrecognized tax benefits	(18.50%)	(5.30%)	4.10%
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, U.S. Legislative changes	(9.80%)	(32.50%)	(31.10%)
Net Benefit Taxable Liquidations of Subsidiaries Percent	0.00%	52.60%	0.00%
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Nondeductible Expense, Percent	1.20%	7.40%	18.20%
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Change in Enacted Tax Rate, Percent	(3.40%)	(9.00%)	1.70%
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Audits and Adjustments	8.00%	(27.40%)	10.00%
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Nondeductible Expense, Research and Development, Percent	(1.80%)	(11.50%)	(5.20%)
Other items	0.70%	(6.00%)	3.30%
Effective income tax rate	8.60%	29.20%	56.90%
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Tax Credit, Foreign, Amount	$ 4,600	$ 4,000	$ 3,500
Impairment and divestiture (benefit) charges	6,198	(3,159)	22,827	$ 22,800
Impairment, Non-Deductible for Income Tax Purposes	3,500	300	14,000
SEC Schedule, 12-09, Valuation Allowances and Reserves, Additions, Charge to Cost and Expense	4,900	9,400	1,700
SEC Schedule, 12-09, Valuation Allowances and Reserves, Deduction	9,100	12,300	2,900
Net Benefit, Taxable Liquidations of Foreign Subsidiaries		4,100
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Withholding Tax, Foreign, Amount	1,700	5,400	2,600
Non-Cash Impairment charges - foreign earnings	1,500	(600)	13,800
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation audits and adjustments, amount	$ 3,500	$ 2,200	$ 1,900