NOTES PAYABLE, LONG-TERM DEBT AND AVAILABLE CREDIT FACILITIES (Narrative) (Details) Share data in Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended						12 Months Ended																			3 Months Ended	1 Months Ended						4 Months Ended	1 Months Ended			9 Months Ended				1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2010 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2009 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2009 Calvin Capital LLC [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 09, 2009 Five Year Competitive Advance and Revolving Credit Facility Agreement [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2009 Five Year Competitive Advance and Revolving Credit Facility Agreement [Member] USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2009 Five Year Competitive Advance and Revolving Credit Facility Agreement [Member] USD ($)	May 31, 2009 Five Year Competitive Advance and Revolving Credit Facility Agreement [Member] USD ($)	Jun. 04, 2010 Three Year Competitive Advance and Revolving Credit Facility Agreement [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 2011 Revolving Credit Facility [Member] USD ($)	Oct. 18, 2011 2011 Revolving Credit Facility [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 InterNotes issued with varying maturities [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Long Term Debt entered into by Variable Interest Entities [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 4.85 percent note with original maturity of August 15, 2012 [Member] USD ($)	Nov. 14, 2011 Public Offering [Member] USD ($)	Nov. 04, 2010 Public Offering [Member] USD ($)	Aug. 04, 2009 Public Offering [Member] USD ($)	May 07, 2009 Public Offering [Member] USD ($)	Nov. 04, 2010 2.50% Due 2016 [Member] USD ($)	Nov. 04, 2010 4.25% Due 2020 [Member] USD ($)	Nov. 14, 2011 4.125% Due 2021 [Member] USD ($)	Nov. 14, 2011 5.25% Due 2041 [Member]	Nov. 14, 2011 5.25% Due 2041 [Member] USD ($)	May 07, 2009 7.6% Notes Due 2014 [Member] USD ($)	May 07, 2009 8.55% Notes Due 2019 USD ($)	May 07, 2009 9.4% Notes Due 2039 [Member] USD ($)	May 07, 2009 8.55% Notes Due 2019 Offered To Paulson And Co And Haas Family In Public Offering [Member] USD ($)	Aug. 04, 2009 4.85% Notes Due 2012 [Member] USD ($)	Aug. 04, 2009 5.9% Notes Due 2015 [Member] USD ($)	Aug. 04, 2009 LIBOR Based Floating Notes Due 2011 [Member] USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2009 Loans Payable [Member] USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2011 Long-term Debt [Member] USD ($)	May 31, 2011 Long-term Debt [Member] USD ($)	May 31, 2011 Long-term Debt [Member] EUR (€)	Feb. 28, 2011 Long-term Debt [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2009 Term Loan with Extension Option [Member] USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2009 Term Loan with Extension Option [Member] USD ($)	May 07, 2009 Series B Preferred Stock [Member]	Sep. 30, 2010 Rohm And Haas [Member] USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2009 Rohm And Haas [Member] USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2009 Rohm And Haas [Member] EUR (€)	Dec. 31, 2009 Rohm And Haas [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2010 Rohm And Haas [Member] USD ($)	Apr. 02, 2009 Rohm And Haas [Member] USD ($)	Apr. 02, 2009 Rohm And Haas [Member] Current and Long Term [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 22, 2011 Tender Offer of Long Term Debt [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 22, 2011 Redemption of Notes [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Inter Notes [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2011 Corporate [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Corporate [Member] Inter Notes [Member] USD ($)
Notes Payable Long Term Debt and Available Credit Facilities [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount on Issuance															$ 2,000,000,000	$ 2,500,000,000	$ 2,750,000,000	$ 6,000,000,000	$ 750,000,000	$ 1,750,000,000	$ 1,250,000,000		$ 750,000,000	$ 1,750,000,000	$ 3,250,000,000	$ 1,000,000,000	$ 1,350,000,000	$ 1,250,000,000	$ 1,250,000,000	$ 250,000,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage												3.71%		4.85%					2.50%	4.25%	4.125%	5.25%	5.25%	7.60%	8.55%	9.40%	8.55%	4.85%	5.90%
Line of Credit Facility, Increase, Additional Borrowings					3,000,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Decrease, Repayments						900,000,000	500,000,000	1,600,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Remaining Borrowing Capacity										5,000,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity									3,000,000,000		5,000,000,000
Term Loan Maximum Borrowing Capacity																																					8,000,000,000
Debt Instrument, Increase, Additional Borrowings																															9,226,000,000
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs																															304,000,000
Long-Term Debt	18,310,000,000	20,605,000,000																																		0
Stock repurchased and retired																																						1.3
Long-term debt																																										2,541,000,000	2,541,000,000	2,528,000,000	2,576,000,000
Extinguishment of Debt, Amount																																							123,000,000		175,000,000					1,500,000,000	1,500,000,000	1,538,000,000
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	482,000,000	46,000,000	56,000,000																																				46,000,000	56,000,000		56,000,000							472,000,000	10,000,000
Tender Offer of Debentures																																							145,000,000
Repayments of Notes Payable	0	668,000,000	0	674,000,000																												250,000,000	707,000,000	500,000,000	800,000,000
Intention to redeem debt in the following fiscal year														1,250,000,000
Outstanding debt	21,100,000,000
Debt instrument covenant, ratio of indebtedness to net capital, maximum	0.65
Amount of debt, if exceeded, causes company to comply with capitalization ratios										500,000,000
Amount at which a failure to pay results in default	50,000,000
Permitted amount of acceleration of principal which causes default	200,000,000
Amount of judgment which causes default	200,000,000
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt	$ 3,624,000,000	$ 3,131,000,000	$ 8,283,000,000									$ 436,000,000	$ 1,200,000,000