MAURICE STANS' VIEWS ON SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN THE ACCOUNTING PROFESSION

Maurice Stans (1908-1998) is remembered for his role in the Watergate scandal of the 1970s, but he was also an early contributor to the literature on the accounting profession's obligations to the general public. His writings and speeches in this area have a place in the history of social responsibility accounting. The paper discusses his writings as well as his comments collected in an audio-taped interview about his role in the accounting profession as president of the American Institute of Accountants, senior partner in Alexander Grant (now Grant Thornton), and one of the first well-known practitioners to discuss broadly the importance of the accounting profession's - social responsibilities. Today when accounting scandals have created questions about the credibility and integrity of financial reporting, it is reflective to see how concerns about financial reporting were once articulated.