Ferengi Alliance
The Ferengi Alliance is the official name for the Ferengi governing body, it’s military and it’s economic institutions. The Ferengi Alliance encompasses several star systems in the Alpha Quadrant, and at least one client state: the Hupyerian species’ homeworld. It is probable there are other client states who have affiliated or allied with the Ferengi based on their shared practices, such as the Dopterians, a distant cousin of the Ferengi species. The Alliance further extends its economic and commercial power well beyond its borders and regularly employ large numbers of non-Ferengi.
In theory, the Alliance is dedicated to the promotion and protection of free market enterprise, libertarian economic ideals and the unregulated accumulation of profit as a form of personal, secular power. While a Ferengi individual can exercise power within their government with their wealth, the Alliance practices “trickle-down economics,” a method supported by the vast majority of the Ferengi themselves. As the current Grand Nagus once said, “Ferengi laborers don’t want to stop the exploitation, they want to find a way to become the exploiters.”
Political Structure
Authority of the Ferengi state springs from the Ferengi Bill of Opportunities, one of several Ferengi Trade By-Laws, and the Ferengi Rules of Acquisition. These documents theorize a state free of heavy commercial regulation and maximum personal profit. The Alliance itself has, in its history, vacillated between a plutocracy (rule by the rich) to kleptocracy (rule by those out for personal gain). While the Ferengi concept of “freedom” is enjoyed by Ferengi males, it translates to freedom enjoyed by those with wealth enough to exploit it. Several times it can be noted in the Rules of Acquisition that a Ferengi without profit or possession, is not a Ferengi.
The result is a persistent state within the Ferengi Alliance that power, influence and opportunity are created through graft, bribery and private deals between individuals. The most important aspects of the Ferengi Alliance’s doctrines outline not regulations, but the importance of abiding by signed contracts: a deal is a deal.
The Grand Nagus
The Ferengi state resembles a Board of Directors of any large corporate conglomerate. The head of that “conglomerate” is the Grand Nagus. The current Grand Nagus is Grand Nagus Rom. While the Grand Nagus has enormous personal power to steer the Ferengi economy as a whole, their ability to enact social changes or enter into political agreement is limited. While individual businessmen go to the Grand Nagus for some of the best business opportunities, in practice the power of the Grand Nagus is blunted by the Congress of Economic Advisors and the Ferengi Commerce Authority. More than one Grand Nagus has been brought low- or even toppled- when their actions have endangered the Ferengi economy.
The Ferengi Commerce Authority
The Ferengi Commerce Authority (FCA) is the agency responsible for enforcing Ferengi law, tradition and contracts. Part judiciary, part police force, part spy ring, the FCA is run by the Board of Liquidators, a body that can summon, censure and remove a sitting Grand Nagus. Further, no sentient being may conduct business within the Ferengi Alliance or its holdings without a business or trade license issued by the FCA. In the event of financial or social “irregularities,” the FCA will send its Liquidators to enforce Ferengi law, an event that most Ferengi both fear and detest.
Lesser Authorities Within the Alliance
The FCA’s lesser governing committees include the Ferengi Trade Mission, which regulates their government business' interests with other species. There is also the Ferengi Health Commission and the Ferengi Gaming Commission; the former oversaw health regulations in public life and in their businesses, and had the power to revoke a Ferengi's medical license, while the latter oversaw gambling ventures.
Within the inferior layers of the Ferengi Alliance government are regional, district and city Naguses. They possess similar power to the Grand Nagus, but within a diminished sphere of influence.
Exercising Power Within the Alliance
Advancement within the Ferengi Alliance's government was based on who one knew and how much one was willing to pay for an audience. Cronyism and nepotism are rife within the system. Anyone who wished to advance to a high position in any part of the government not only had to earn a large profit for himself, but for his superiors. If a Ferengi wanted to seek an audience with a senior government official they would have to donate latinum (often slips but strips or even bars were not unheard of).
Society
The Ferengi Alliance is a capitalistic, Libertarian body dominated by wealthy, well-connected Ferengi males. Successful Ferengi bring profit to themselves, their families and their business partners. Advancement in the Alliance relies on who you know and how much you are willing to bribe or pay royalties to for their assistance. The Alliance is best thought of as a major mega-corporation. Greed and profit are the penultimate goals of the society and its members follow a social doctrine for success called the Ferengi Rules of Acquisition.
Social Hierarchy
The Ferengi Alliance, while dominated by Ferengi, employs numerous allied and non-aligned species. Ferengi maintain a de facto preferred status. Hierarchies within the Alliance can be both rigid and fluid: Ferengi have potential social mobility based on their personal skill at negotiation and accumulating wealth, a trait known as, "Having the lobes for business." Ferengi advance within the Alliance through bribes, cronyism and graft.
Once a Ferengi reaches certain tiers of power within the Alliance, their influence can become both expansive and authoritative. However, the Ferengi are suspicious of tyranny and maintain check and balance systems even for their most influential. As long as a Ferengi leader is making his subordinates and clients extremely wealthy, most Ferengi are willing to put up with a great deal of abuse and look the other way.
Ferengi Ethnocentrism
Though Ferengi eagerly do business with non-Ferengi, and non-Ferengi client species of the Alliance can enjoy a profitable, bright existence, the Ferengi are at heart a conservative, tradition-bound race. Ferengi prefer to do business with Ferengi. Ferengi usually write Ferengi business practices into their employee contracts, forcing any non-Ferengi to adhere to them. A Ferengi measures his success not by how well he is liked by non-Ferengi, but by how well-respected (or feared) he is among his own kind.
Despite this cultural tendency, Ferengi have opened up to other civilizations but there is still culture shock among them when they see clothed females walking around in public, unionized work forces and economies where material things are unimportant. Individual Ferengi may rate these from mildly novel to downright barbarian, but successful Ferengi businessmen put aside these preconceptions for profit.
Most Ferengi prefer to deal with alien species from a position of strength or authority. While the Ferengi employ aliens in many of their enterprises, it is very rare to find Ferengi working in alien enterprises.
Free Market Capitalism
When foreigners come to the Ferengi Alliance, the first feature they are confronted by is the fact that the Ferengi do not share Federation ideals of self-improvement and non-material interests. The Ferengi define success through profit, business acumen, by business connections and prestige. The Ferengi economy relies on constant business transactions, forcing Ferengi and non-Ferengi alike to pay for services in latinum.
Pay to Play
Virtually nothing is for free on Ferenginar or among Ferengi holdings. Entering business or government buildings requires an entry fee. Scheduling appointments with important authorities requires a fee. To expedite a service costs more. It is commonplace for discussions to be held with receptacles placed near each individual- to gain their information, one must pay a small fee within. Even entering Ferengi homes requires a small overhead paid to the family, usually at the front door.
The Role of Contracts
Contracts and negotiations take place at virtually every turn of Ferengi society. Contracts are the bedrock of Ferengi society and to break a contract (with another Ferengi) is considered a heinous act. Breaking contracts between non-Ferengi is still a dubious practice, but one accepted on varying terms by the Ferengi system.
Insurance and Coverage
Because the Ferengi impose few regulations and no social safety nets on its businesses, it is up to individual Ferengi to purchase certain guarantees or forms of insurance to protect themselves from harm or fraud. A form of the ultimate Libertarian ideal, these free market, for-profit services include medical coverage, legal representation, court jurisdiction, accidental death or dismemberment, fraud prevention and identity protection. Anyone who comes to Ferenginar or any Ferengi holding must purchase dozens of different insurances to cover them.
Diplomatic Relations
Officially, the Ferengi Alliance declares neutrality in virtually every galactic conflict that may exist at any one time. In the realms of galactic politics, the Ferengi Alliance is solely interested in gaining profit- making enemies reduces that end-goal considerably. The Ferengi recognize that their military prowess is inferior to virtually all nearby major powers; their strength remains their economic clout.
The United Federation of Planets
Official First Contact between the United Federation of Planets and the Ferengi Alliance happened on Stardate 41386.4- in 2364- in the Delphi Ardu system after a Ferengi Marauder stole a T-9 converter from the Federation outpost on Gamma Tauri IV.
Relations with the Federation remained tense throughout the 2360s’s and early 2370’s, largely due to the unsanctioned actions of individual Ferengi which the Federation protested. Individual member systems and Ferengi businessmen increased trade within Federation space. The Federation was forced to contend with the Ferengi more often when the Bajoran Wormhole was discovered, and the Ferengi made inroads for trade with several Gamma Quadrant species.
The Ferengi were the first to hear about the largest market in the Gamma Quadrant, an entity known as the Dominion. The Ferengi sold intelligence about the Dominion and some of their client species to the Federation (among others). This practice continued despite the Ferengi signing a neutrality pact with the Dominion.
Rom, the current Grand Nagus of the Ferengi Alliance, favors warmer relations with the Federation but the Alliance retains it’s neutrality. Trade has become increasingly common between the two powers and Ferengi are becoming a more common sight on Federation worlds.
Bolarus IX
Relations with the Bolians are perhaps the warmest among the Federation affiliate species. The Ferengi Gambling Commission has taken control of most of the Bolian’s gambling ships and cruise lines. Many Ferengi do a great deal of their banking investments in the Bank of Bolarus, though this is changing as the Alliance has begun to shift toward banking institutions of its own.
Vulcan
Vulcans, although considered an evolved species, have proven difficult for the Ferengi to maintain good trade ties to the extent that a warning was placed in the Rules of Acquisition specifically to be wary of negotiating with Vulcans. However, they are economically strong enough to be a force in the galaxy.
Bajor
The Bajoran people have had a testy though sometimes lucrative history when dealing with the Alliance. The height of their trade was done during the Bajoran provisional government's immediate needs in 2370-71 after Cardassia withdrew from Bajor. The Ferengi Alliance maintained neutrality during the Cardassian Occupation of Bajor but individual Ferengi sold food, medical supplies and weapons to Bajoran Resistance cells and off-world Bajoran refugee colonies.
In 2371, Grand Nagus Zek recovered the Bajoran Orb of Wisdom from Cardassia III and sold it to the Bajoran government for a hefty price.
Ferengi in Starfleet
It remains a rarity to find Ferengi in Starfleet as Ferengi ideals still frequently clash with Federation and Starfleet practices. A Ferengi without profit is, in the eyes of his people, no Ferengi at all. Ferengi regard service in Starfleet in a similar way as they view the concept of an "Eliminator:" the individual's priorities are seriously skewed, even bordering on mental illness.
The Cardassian Union
The Ferengi and the Cardassian Union have retained fairly amiable trade relations for decades. The Ferengi government, exercising it's neutrality and middle road philosophy, took no sides in the Cardassian Occupation of Bajor. The Ferengi also took no official sides in the Dominion War against the other Alpha Quadrant powers, but within the higher echelons of the Alliance, the Ferengi knew that an Alpha Quadrant with the current powers was more palpable than restrictive rule under Dominion control.
With the Liberation of Cardassia and the end of the Dominion War, the Ferengi Alliance was quick to offer their economic clout to help the Cardassian government recover. For the past twenty years, trade has been frequent between the two powers and Ferengi are a somewhat common feature in Cardassian cities.
The Maquis Insurgency
Several Ferengi profit-seekers sought to sell medical supplies, ships and weapons to the Maquis based purely on their demand. To some Ferengi, it was simply another lucrative market. Most of these Ferengi did so through intermediaries. The Ferengi Alliance disavowed any such actions as unsanctioned.
The Klingon Empire
The Ferengi Alliance and the Klingon Empire have no official political or economic ties whatsoever. They do not exchange Ambassadors. The Klingons view the accumulation of profit as a dishonorable act. Typical Klingons regard Ferengi as loathsome, sniveling little cowards without honor. They are so pathetic that killing one is hardly worth the effort. In return, most Ferengi are unusually blunt in their view: Klingons are brutish, unpleasant and seldom worth the trouble. So rocky is their relationship, that the Klingons are the only other species (besides the Vulcans) to be mentioned specifically in the Ferengi Rules of Acquisition: Rule #192 states, "Never cheat a Klingon... unless you're sure you can get away with it."
The Romulan Successor States
Speaking in generalities, the Ferengi Alliance has a poor relationship with all three of the recognized Romulan successor states; their relationship with the Tal'Shiar-dominated Romulan Free State is particularly bad. As anti-alien sentiment has re-surged in the Romulan sphere of influence, the Ferengi are as unwelcome as any. Despite this, the Ferengi doggedly chip away at the barrier they tend to encounter with the Romulans.
As has been the method in the past, the Ferengi focus on individual Romulan businessmen and individual contracts. Often these are done not with Romulan officials, but the splintered Romulan warlords who are less choosy about where their resources come from. Here, the Ferengi have made some modest gains, particularly in selling power generation, weaponry and surplus vessels which could be refitted.
Minor Alpha and Beta Quadrant States
The Ferengi have made several inroads of trade, especially among groups that may be opposed to or at least neutral with the larger political bodies of the Quadrant. There remains a desire by some groups and individuals to not tie their interests up in groups such as the Federation, largely because of the Federation's economic policies and the Prime Directive. The Ferengi also frequently employ groups from these minor states. Within these minor political bodies, the Ferengi often find some of their most lucrative business contracts.
Orion Colonies
The Ferengi Alliance and the so-called "Orion Colonies" engage in extensive trade- primarily in alcohol, textiles, art and music, but also in more illicit trades such as drugs, porn and information. Orions are frequently found on Ferengi installations and on Ferengi worlds, though most do not serve within the Alliance itself. A few Orion Caju possess estates on Ferenginar where they do business. Ferengi are equally welcome on Orion worlds for the purposes of trade. Individual Ferengi often hire Orions for a diverse array of tasks- from hacking, to arm candy. Both species share a love of gambling as well.
Orion Syndicate
The Ferengi Alliance largely recognizes that the Orion Syndicate is a dangerous criminal enterprise and that going in to business with them is equally hazardous. Officially, the Alliance has no political ties with the Syndicate and they do not support some of their more overtly violent actions. Individual Ferengi businessmen, however, may risk the road for the hope of greater profits. However, few Ferengi enlist within the Syndicate itself unless they are truly desperate.
The Yridians
Yridian information peddlers are of keen interest to many Ferengi businessmen looking to get ahead. The two species share similar outlooks on profit and greed and agree that information should not be free. Yridian hackers and spies are often a wealth of corporate and political secrets- and sometimes, its even true. Yridians and their vessels are a common occurrence within Ferengi holdings and on Ferengi planets.
The Nausicaan Kratic
Despite the Nausicaan government's tendency to be both unstable and volatile, individual Ferengi offer frequent employment opportunities for Nausicaan muscle. These Ferengi are usually hiring Nausicaans as bodyguards, thugs, enforcers and henchmen. These roles appeal a great deal to most Nausicaan mercenaries. Occasionally, the Ferengi will use the Nausicaans as trade intermediaries, primarily with the Klingons.
Breen Confederacy
The Breen Confederacy and the Ferengi Alliance have few dealings, largely because of the xenophobic tendencies of the Breen. Their political relationship remains icy, as in the 22nd Century, the Ferengi Alliance was forced into an unusual footing by the Breen- warfare against another galactic power. After several Ferengi colonies were raided for slaves by the Confederacy, the brief Raiders' War came to an end with a Breen defeat by allied Ferengi and Cardassian forces.
Much of their modern, limited interaction is through brisk trade around refrigeration technology. Individual Ferengi businessmen are sometimes keen to purchase Breen weapons technology to sell to interested third parties. It is widely believed, however, that the Ferengi Alliance first obtained warp drive technology from Breen traders.
Tzenkethi Coalition
Despite fairly close borders, the Tzenkethi Coalition and the Ferengi Alliance have very little trade. The Tzenkethi views species such as the Ferengi as too chaotic and dangerous.
Tholian Assembly
The Tholian Assembly is too distant- and too xenophobic- for regular Ferengi trade. However, there is a lucrative business around Tholian silk, of which several Ferengi businesses are resellers of. The Tholians occasionally send observers to the Alliance but Tholian xenophobia prohibits the Ferengi from doing the same. Despite this, their relationship remains stable. The Ferengi have little interest in provoking the Tholians and the Tholians have no interest in Ferengi politics.
Freecloud
With the collapse of the Romulan Neutral Zone after the destruction of Romulus and the ascension of Freecloud as a destination for personal freedom and unfettered business opportunities, many Ferengi businessmen were quick to move in. Seen as a gateway to the Beta Quadrant by some Ferengi, businesses easily interface on Freecloud with little fear of obstruction. Many Ferengi- both those sanctioned by the Alliance and those not- use Freecloud as a base for their (thus far limited) business ventures into the former Romulan States. It is here that the nexus of Ferengi involvement with the (illegal) trade of Borg technology is worst.
The Dominion
The Ferengi were seldom seen as a direct threat by the Dominion body-politic, but their reliance on the Federation control of the wormhole was worrisome to the Founders. Dominion intelligence quickly surmised that the Alliance was no military threat to them.
The Karemma and Dosi Confederation are among the Dominion members with which the Ferengi conducted trade.
During the Dominion War, the Ferengi Alliance officially signed the Dominon's non-aggression pact. Despite this, the Alliance believed that its business interests rested with the Alpha and Beta Quadrant powers.
Culpable Deniability
Individual members of the Ferengi Alliance recognize that profit is to be found both in peace and in war. The thirty-fourth and thirty-fifth Rules of Acquisition state that both peace and war are good for business. Further, individuals who belong to an unknown or hostile government may be willing to do business with individual Ferengi businessmen. Thus, in the spirit of free enterprise, some Ferengi business ventures are made without the knowledge of the Alliance government.
The Black Nagus
The Black Nagus is a heretical, criminal enterprise led by a Ferengi known as Lurk. Espousing a philosophy that vengeance is preferable to profit, the Black Nagus continues to undermine Alliance activity primarily through extortion, blackmail and information tampering.
History
Ferengi history goes back over ten millennia, but much of their history is shrouded in legend. One of the most significant events of their early history was the creation of the Ferengi Rules of Acquisition by Gint and the merging of business and political philosophies into the office of the Grand Negus.
Upon the evolution of their commerce-intensive society they purchased warp drive, according to rumors, from the Breen Confederacy and began to expand their commercial interests. Upon contemporary times the Ferengi were a mysterious race who were often only known through rumor. Due to their ambitious and covetous nature many Ferengi have shown a tendency to not identify themselves during first contact encounters and exploits the naivety of species' lack of knowledge about Ferengi philosophy and society.
In 2151, The Ferengi encountered Starfleet although the latter would not realize it for two centuries. This encounter involved four Ferengi marauders boarded the Starfleet vessel, rendering its crew unconscious using a Ferengi gas canister, then attempting to plunder the starship of items they believe held value, but were foiled by the crew and the Ferengi's own greed. With the ship back under Starfleet control, the pirates were allowed to leave with a warning not to plunder any other ships in the area.
Then in 2355, a Starfleet vessel encountered the Ferengi again traveling through the Maxia Zeta system. The vessel was attacked by an unidentified ship damaging shields and forcing the captain to perform a maneuver in which the vessel jumped into high warp, making it appear to the attackers that the ship was in two places at once. During the confusion the captain issued the order to destroy the enemy vessel, but the damage to the vessel was extensive and the crew abandoned the vessel.
Official first contact between the United Federation of Planets and the Ferengi occurred finally in 2364 in the Delphi Ardu system, where a Ferengi vessel and the Federation vessel were trapped in orbit by a derelict outpost of the ancient Tkon Empire.
Though the Ferengi carry little military might, their influence can be found across the galaxy as merchants, arms dealers, and information brokers. Through the Ferengi, the Federation were able to learn much about the Dominion before the War. The Ferengi continue to play a part in today's political affairs, selling information to the highest bidder. It does not scare the Ferengi that they share borders with the Breen Confederacy and the Federation. After all, it's just good business.
Military
The Alliance maintains a military which consisted mostly of D'Kora Class vessels which are loosely translated as being marauder craft. The military was used their fleet of marauders to primarily protect the business ventures of Ferengi entrepreneurs, not to wage war. However, with the recent uprising of the galactic powers, Ferengi ships have been designed, constructed, refitted and retrofitted with more combat-based technologies acquired by Ferengi ship captain's, known as DaiMon's, who are authorized to begin trade negotiations at the behest of the Ferengi Alliance and are rewarded handsomely for successful business transactions.
Recent Interactions with the Ferengi
- Ferengi have become much more common in Federation-aligned ports of call, as well as on Cardassia with the continued rebuilding efforts there.
- Ferengi are frequently found on the world of Freecloud, engaging in purchasing, trading and gambling.
- The Ferengi are a rising power within the banking industry, as they flex their economic clout to challenge the Bank of Bolarus. Their banking firms tend to attract those who would rather not put their profits in an economy that does not use money.
The Ferengi Alliance in Play
- The Ferengi Alliance has no interest in military conquest. If they claim a system, it is for the purposes of resource exploitation or salvage operations.
- The Ferengi Alliance maintains its neutrality in all armed conflicts, though it will engage in economic warfare to leverage better negotiating positions. Individual Ferengi may take sides and sell products for profit.
- Raids and theft of Federation and Cardassian assets still take place but are fairly rare- these actions are not sanctioned by the Alliance itself.
- The Ferengi have a robust interest in opening negotiations with Delta Quadrant species and have been petitioning the Federation for more access to the Barzan wormhole.
- The Ferengi maintain trade with several species in the Gamma Quadrant.
- Sale of Borg technology has become a thorny issue among Ferengi businessmen and the other galactic powers. The Alliance continues to maintain its neutrality and disavows any transactions where the parts seem illicit. However, the Alliance continues to support salvage rights for any technology that they may encounter- including Borg technology.
- The Ferengi have only had limited success in infiltrating the Romulan Successor States, particularly the Romulan Free State. Much of their success has been among resource-starved colony worlds which need the assistance.
External Information
- Ferengi Alliance at Memory Alpha