Editing Ferengi (section)

==Government==

The [[Ferengi Alliance]] was the main political body of the Ferengi. It was dedicated to the promotion of profit and commerce and was overseen by a Grand Nagus, who acted as both head of state and principal business leader. The Nagus' power was supported by both the Ferengi Bill of Opportunities as well as the Rules of Acquisition. (DS9: "Profit and Lace") 

The Ferengi Commerce Authority, or FCA, was an agency of the Alliance concerned with business practices and the enforcement of trade under the Ferengi Trade By-Laws and Ferengi Code. Agents of the FCA were known as Liquidators and were governed by the Board of Liquidators. 

Additional government institutions included the Ferengi Gaming Commission, Ferengi Health Commission, and the Ferengi Trade Mission. (DS9: "Ferengi Love Songs"; VOY: "Infinite Regress"; TNG: "The Perfect Mate") 

Generally, the Ferengi Alliance stayed neutral in the politics of the galaxy, since the Ferengi were solely interested in profit and making enemies would diminish business opportunities. In the spirit of free enterprise, most Ferengi business ventures were made without the knowledge of the government. As a result, while a number of hostile conflicts occurred between the Federation and the Ferengi in the 2360s, the Ferengi Alliance itself was not held responsible. 

The importance of business was felt even in Ferengi government, as powerful businessmen could easily become powerful political figures representing their companies the way states or worlds are represented in most other cultures. 

The neutral tendencies of the Ferengi and their government were evident in the 34th and 35th Rules of Acquisition: "War is good for business" and "Peace is good for business". Counter to intuition, this neutral status often enhanced the influence of the Ferengi Alliance in the galaxy. By positioning themselves as interested only in commerce, not only did Ferengi manage to avoid being embroiled in larger conflicts such as the Dominion War, they also made themselves available as intermediaries. Ferengi trade representatives often accompanied other governments on diplomatic missions where trade negotiations might serve to open the door to more extensive relations between trade partners who might otherwise have difficulty doing business because of the political climate. (DS9: "Starship Down") 

In keeping with their neutral tradition, the Ferengi did not maintain a standing military force and were generally considered ineffectual in most military matters. However, the role of DaiMon in Ferengi commerce was a quasi-military rank and the Alliance did provide the use of starships, notably the D'Kora-class marauders, for the purpose of mercantile exploration and, in some cases, defense of business interests. (TNG: "Ménage à Troi") 



*Ferengi Market Exchange - The Ferengi Market Exchange is a center of Ferengi commerce. The exact structure and rules of the Exchange is unknown but it does have some similarities to finanical market indecies such as Wall Street and may involve the trading of shares in Ferengi companies like Slug-o-Cola. 

:The Exchange is viewed as a significant indicator of the overall financial health of the Ferengi Alliance. Consequently, a drastic change in the Exchange could have political repurcussions as well. Grand Nagus Smeet, the only Nagus ever assassinated, oversaw the greatest drop prior to 2373 when a single-day drop of 199 points nearly caused the overthrow of Grand Nagus Zek. (DS9: "Ferengi Love Songs") 


*Ferengi Futures Exchange - The Ferengi Futures Exchange is a center of Ferengi commerce on Ferenginar. Unlike the Ferengi Market Exchange, the Futures Exchange does not deal in established companies but instead allows Ferengi or other investors to gamble on the future price of commodities such as latinum and duranium. 

:Vacuum desiccated remains of famous Ferengi could be sold as collectibles on the exchange. In 2372 Quark, after being mis-diagnosed with Dorek Syndrome, auctioned his own remains on the Exchange where Brunt purchased the entire collection for 500 bars of latinum. (DS9: "Body Parts") 

:One year later, Quark realized that the mental faculties of Grand Nagus Zek had begun to deteriorate when he failed to accurately calculate a 17 percent increase in the price of duranium on the Exchange. (DS9: "Ferengi Love Songs")