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Politicalization of Accounting Standards
Some accountants have said that politicization in the development and acceptance of generally accepted accounting principles (i.e., rule-making) is taking place. Think about the term more broadly to mean the compromise that results when the bodies responsible for developing generally accepted accounting principles (FASB) are pressured by interest groups (SEC, American Accounting Association, businesses through their various organizations, Institute of Management Accountants, financial analysts, bankers, lawyers, and so on).
Required:
a. The Committee on Accounting Procedure of the AICPA was established in the mid to late 1930s and functioned until 1959, at which time the Accounting Principles Board came into existence. In 1973, the Financial Accounting Standards Board was formed, and the APB went out of existence. Do the reasons these groups were formed, their methods of operation while in existence, and the reasons for the demise of the first two indicate an increasing politicalization (as the term is used in the broad sense) of accounting standard setting? Explain.
b. What arguments can be raised to support the politicalization of accounting standard setting?
c. What arguments can be raised against the politicalization of accounting standard setting?

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Answer: Some accountants have said that politicization in the development and acceptance of generally accepted accounting principles (i.e., rule-making) is taking place. Some use the term “politicization” in a narrow sense to mean the influence by governmental agencies, particularly the Securities and Exchange Commission, on the development of generally accepted accounting principles. Others use it more broadly to mean the compromise that results when the bodies responsible for developing generally accepted accounting principles are pressured by interest groups (SEC, American Accounting Association, businesses through their various organizations, Institute of Management Accountants, financial analysts, bankers, lawyers, and so on).

Instructions

(a) The Committee on Accounting Procedure of the AICPA was established in the mid- to late 1930s

and functioned until 1959, at which time the Accounting Principles Board came into existence. In

1973, the Financial Accounting Standards Board was formed and the APB went out of existence.

Do the reasons these groups were formed, their methods of operation while in existence, and the

reasons for the demise of the first two indicate an increasing politicization (as the term is used in

the broad sense) of accounting standard-setting? Explain your answer by indicating how the CAP,

the APB, and the FASB operated or operate. Cite specific developments that tend to support your

answer.

(b) What arguments can be raised to support the “politicization” of accounting rule-making?

(c) What arguments can be raised against the “politicization” of accounting rule-making?

Solution

a) CAP. The Committee on Accounting Procedure, CAP, which was in existence from 1939 to 1959, was a natural outgrowth of AICPA committees which were in existence during the period 1933 to 1938. The committee was formed in direct response to the criticism received by the accounting profession during the financial crisis of 1929 and the years thereafter. The authorization to issue pronouncements on matters of accounting principles and procedures was based on the belief that the AICPA had the responsibility to establish practices that would become generally accepted by the profession and by corporate management.

Explanation:

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