Investments In Equity Method Investees (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2014	Oct. 31, 2013	Oct. 31, 2012
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Total equity method sponsored funds	$ 36,178,000	$ 89,287,000
Equity Method Investees [Abstract]
Hexvest assets	30,989,000	27,704,000
Other investees assets	194,981,000	419,331,000
Total assets	225,970,000	447,035,000
Hexavest liabilities	13,854,000	10,062,000
Other investees liabilities	1,757,000	49,099,000
Total liabilities	15,611,000	59,161,000
Hexavest outside equity interest	11,290,000	12,175,000
Other investees outside equity interest	152,825,000	276,025,000
Outside equity interests	164,115,000	288,200,000
Hexavest revenue	57,981,000	45,680,000	10,691,000
Other investees revenue	300,000	1,241,000	8,788,000
Total revenue	58,281,000	46,921,000	19,479,000
Hexavest operating income	34,957,000	27,386,000	6,060,000
Other investees operating income	(2,337,000)	(2,315,000)	5,286,000
Total operating income	32,620,000	25,071,000	11,346,000
Hexavest net income	24,876,000	20,870,000	4,714,000
Other investees net income	43,090,000	29,665,000	34,339,000
Total net income	67,966,000	50,535,000	39,053,000
Lloyd George Management Limited [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Realized gains			2,400,000
Private Equity Partnership [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investment ownership percentage	7.00%	7.00%
Equity method investment aggregate cost	4,200,000	4,900,000
Eaton Vance Atlanta Capital Select Equity Fund [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investment ownership percentage	0.00%	28.00%
Equity method investment aggregate cost	0	25,207,000
Eaton Vance Municipal Opportunities Fund [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investment ownership percentage	0.00%	33.00%
Equity method investment aggregate cost	0	10,420,000
Eaton Vance Real Estate Fund [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investment ownership percentage	34.00%	34.00%
Equity method investment aggregate cost	11,953,000	9,820,000
Eaton Vance Focused Growth Opportunities Fund [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investment ownership percentage	33.00%	34.00%
Equity method investment aggregate cost	9,559,000	6,870,000
Eaton Vance Focused Value Opportunities Fund [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investment ownership percentage	32.00%	34.00%
Equity method investment aggregate cost	7,588,000	6,826,000
Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Bond Strategies Long Term Fund [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investment ownership percentage	27.00%	30.00%
Equity method investment aggregate cost	6,105,000	5,552,000
Eaton Vance Hexavest Global Equity Fund [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investment ownership percentage	0.00%	30.00%
Equity method investment aggregate cost	0	24,592,000
Eaton Vance Currency Income Advantage Fund [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investment ownership percentage	43.00%	0.00%
Equity method investment aggregate cost	973,000	0
Hexavest [Member]
Schedule Of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Equity method investment ownership percentage	49.00%	49.00%
Equity method investment aggregate cost	166,000,000	175,500,000
Equity method investee contingent payment made in the period	5,000,000	1,300,000
Equity method investment underlying equity in net assets	5,900,000	5,500,000
Intangible assets net excluding goodwill, equity in investee	33,500,000	38,600,000
Goodwill, equity in investee	135,600,000	141,800,000
Deferred tax liability, equity in investee	9,000,000	10,400,000
Additional interest that may be purchased by the Company in future periods	26.00%	26.00%
Value of the Hexavest exercisable option	$ 8,300,000	$ 8,300,000