The unsung American (accounting?) hero: W. Morgan Shuster

Abstract

In this age of global terrorism, religious scandals, unbridled capitalism, corporate and accounting scandals, greed, wars, and selfishness, the one‐year adventure of a bull‐headed, uncompromising, honest, fearless, conscientious, hardworking, compassionate, and no‐nonsense American by the name of W. Morgan Shuster is a must read for those who are struggling with the questions of accounting, ethics, politics, and self‐interest. Shuster was a lawyer with expertise in governmental accounting and taxation who was commissioned and sent to Iran (known then as Persia) in 1911 to create a system of accounting control, audit, and responsibility accounting for the government of Iran. This is the condensed account of his adventures and what he accomplished in a span of less than eight months. This article is about Morgan Shuster but, more so, it is about the fundamentals of ethics and responsibility in business and governmental affairs. It provides an understanding of how accounting, accountability, and fiscal planning can be initiated from scratch. Shuster was a devout Christian and had decided that his conduct and his association with people should be reflective of the ideals of his faith as well as the ideals of his nation in pursuit of “life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness” for all God's children. Concludes that, perhaps, the so‐called “real world” should reconcile with the conduct and attitude of Morgan Shuster if the human race is to survive.