The Rules of Acquisition, in the fictional Star Trek universe, is a set of guidelines intended to ensure the profitability of businesses owned by the ultra-capitalist Ferengi. The first rule was made by Gint, the first Grand Nagus of the Ferengi Alliance. The title of "Rules of Acquisition" was chosen as a clever marketing ploy (since the rules are merely guidelines) and Gint numbered his first rule as #162, in order to create a demand for the other 161 Rules that had yet to be written. Fiction (from the Latin fingere, to form, create) is storytelling of imagined events and stands in contrast to non-fiction, which makes factual claims about reality. ... The current Star Trek franchise logo Star Trek is an epic American science fiction franchise. ... In economics, a capitalist is someone who owns capital, presumably within the economic system of capitalism. ... The Ferengi are a fictional extraterrestrial race from the Star Trek universe. ... In the TV show Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Grand Nagus is the title given to the political and economic leader of the fictional race known as the Ferengi. ... Ferengi on Star Trek: The Next Generation In the Star Trek fictional universe, the Ferengi are an alien race notable for their devotion towards capitalist profit and their constant efforts to swindle people into bad deals. ...

There are 285 Rules of Acquisition, but not all of them have been stated in the Star Trek canon. "Various commentaries" to the rules are also said to exist.

Most of the rules were written by Ira Steven Behr, a producer of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and he has published many of them in a book The Ferengi Rules of Acquisition (ISBN 0-671-52936-6), the cover of which credits authorship as being "By Quark as told to Ira Steven Behr". Additional rules were published in Legends of the Ferengi (ISBN 0-671-00728-9), by Behr and Robert Hewitt Wolfe. Ira Steven Behr is an American television producer and scriptwriter. ... Space station Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (ST:DS9 or STDS9 or DS9 for short) is a science fiction television series produced by Paramount and set in the Star Trek universe. ... Robert Hewitt Wolfe is an American television producer and scriptwriter. ...

List of Rules

The rules listed below have all been stated on-screen, or were listed in "The Ferengi Rules of Acquisition" by Ira Steven Behr, or in "Legends of the Ferengi" by Behr and Robert Hewitt Wolfe. Each rule is referenced accordingly.

• 1. Once you have their money, you never give it back^[1][2].

• 2. The best deal is the one that brings the most profit^[3].

• 3. Never spend more for an acquisition than you have to^[4].

• 4. A woman wearing clothes is like a man in the kitchen^[3].

• 6. Never allow family to stand in the way of opportunity^[1].

• 7. Keep your ears open^[5].

• 8. Small print leads to large risk^[6].

• 9. Opportunity plus instinct equals profit^[7].

• 10. Greed is eternal^[8][9].

• 11. Even if it's free, you can always buy it cheaper^[3].

• 12. Anything worth selling is worth selling twice^[3].

• 13. Anything worth doing is worth doing for money^[6].

• 16. A deal is a deal^[10].

• 17. A contract is a contract is a contract. But only between Ferengi^[11].

• 18. A Ferengi without profit is no Ferengi at all^[2].

• 19. Satisfaction is not guaranteed^[6].

• 21. Never place friendship above profit^[12].

• 22. A wise man can hear profit in the wind^[12].

• 23. Nothing is more important than your health. Except for your money^[13]

• 27. There is nothing more dangerous than an honest businessman^[6].

• 31. Never make fun of a Ferengi's mother^[14]...Insult something he cares about instead^[6].

• 33. It never hurts to suck up to the boss^[12][15].

• 34. War is good for business^[16][17].

• 35. Peace is good for business^[16][18].

• 40. She can touch your lobes, but never your latinum^[6].

• 41. Profit is its own reward^[6].

• 44. Never confuse wisdom with luck^[6].

• 45. Expand or die^[13]. The 95^th rule is also given as "Expand or die" on one occasion^[9].

• 47. Never trust a man wearing a better suit than your own^[19].

• 48. The bigger the smile, the sharper the knife^[12].

• 52. Never ask when you can take^[6].

• 57. Good customers are as rare as latinum. Treasure them^[20].

• 58. There is no substitute for success^[6].

• 59. Free advice is seldom cheap^[12].

• 60. Keep your lies consistent^[6].

• 62. The riskier the road, the greater the profit^[12].

• 65. Win or lose, there's always Hupyrian beetle snuff^[6].

• 74. Knowledge equals profit^[21].

• 75. Home is where the heart is, but the stars are made of latinum^[22].

• 76. Every once in a while declare peace. It confuses the hell out of your enemies^[23]!

• 79. Beware of the Vulcan greed for knowledge^[6].

• 82. The flimsier the product, the higher the price^[6].

• 85. Never let the competition know what you're thinking^[6].

• 89. Ask not what your profits can do for you, but what you can do for your profits^[6].

• 94. Females and finances don't mix^[24].

• 95. Expand or die^[9]. The 45^th rule was also given as "expand or die" on one occasion^[13].

• 97. Enough... is never enough^[6].

• 98. Every man has his price^[25].

• 99. Trust is the biggest liability of all^[6].

• 102. Nature decays, but latinum is forever^[26].

• 103. Sleep can interfere with... [cut off]. (The rest of the 103^rd rule was never stated onscreen as Pel was interrupted before finishing)^[12].

• 104. Faith moves mountains... of inventory^[6].

• 106. There is no honor in poverty^[6].

• 109. Dignity and an empty sack is worth a sack^[19].

• 111. Treat people in your debt like family. Exploit them^[27][28]

• 112. Never have sex with the boss's sister^[29].

• 113. Always have sex with the boss^[6].

• 121. Everything is for sale, even friendship^[6].

• 123. Even a blind man can recognize the glow of latinum^[6].

• 125. You can't make a deal if you're dead^[17].

• 139. Wives serve, brothers inherit^[30].

• 141. Only fools pay retail^[6].

• 144. There's nothing wrong with charity... as long as it winds up in your pocket^[6].

• 162. Even in the worst of times, someone turns a profit^[6]

• 168. Whisper your way to success^[31].

• 177. Know your enemies... but do business with them always^[6].

• 181. Not even dishonesty can tarnish the shine of profit^[6].

• 189. Let others keep their reputation. You keep their money^[6].

• 190. Hear all; trust nothing^[32].

• 192. Never cheat a Klingon... unless you're sure you can get away with it^[6].

• 194. It's always good business to know about your customers before they walk in your door^[33].

• 202. The justification of profit is profit^[6].

• 203. New customers are like razor-toothed Greeworms. They can be succulent, but sometimes they bite back^[34].

• 208. Sometimes the only thing more dangerous than the question is an answer^[24].

• 211. Employees are the rungs on the ladder of success. Don't hesitate to step on them^[35].

• 214. Never begin a business negotiation on an empty stomach^[36].

• 217. You can't free a fish from water^[27].

• 218. Always know what you're buying^[6].

• 223. Beware the man who doesn't make time for oo-mox^[6].

• 229. Latinum lasts longer than lust^[24].

• 236. You can't buy fate^[6].

• 239. Never be afraid to mislabel a product^[11].

• 242. More is good... all is better^[6].

• 255. A wife is a luxury... a smart accountant, a necessity^[6].

• 261. A wealthy man can afford anything except a conscience^[6].

• 263. Never allow doubt to tarnish your lust for latinum^[35].

• 266. When in doubt, lie^[6].

• 284. Deep down, everyone's a Ferengi^[6].

• 285. No good deed ever goes unpunished^[37].

PEL or pel may refer to: pel, an abbreviation for pixel Permissible Exposure Limit, a legal limit defined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in the United States PEL, an abbreviation for Peak of Eternal Light, a location within the Solar System that is almost constantly bathed in sunlight. ... In the Star Trek fictional universe, Oo-mox is a form of Ferengi sexual foreplay. ...

The Unwritten Rule

When no appropriate rule applies, make one up^[9].

Unofficial rules

The character of Quark proposed adding a 286^th rule: "When Morn leaves, it's all over^[38]." Quark, son of Keldar and Ishka, is a fictional character in the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, played by Armin Shimerman, and a regular for the shows seven-year run. ... Morn Morn is a fictional character on the science fiction television show Star Trek: Deep Space Nine played by Mark Alan Shepherd. ...

The character of Neelix, while posing as the Ferengi Grand Proxy, told Arridor and Kol that the 299^th rule was: "Whenever you exploit someone, it never hurts to thank them (that way it's easier to exploit them the next time)^[9]." Neelix is a fictional character in the fictional universe of Star Trek: Voyager (STV). ... The Ferengi are a fictional extraterrestrial race from the Star Trek universe. ... This does not cite its references or sources. ...

A conversation between the characters of Nog and Jake Sisko implied the existence of a rule similar to: "Money is money, but females are better"^[39]." Nog was a recurring character on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, played by Aron Eisenberg. ... Jake Sisko is a character in the fictional Star Trek universe, played by Cirroc Lofton. ...

Each of the rules below was quoted on-screen, but was not formally stated as being one of the Rules of Acquisition and / or was not numbered.

• When the messenger comes to appropriate your profits, kill the messenger^[9].

• Time, like latinum, is a highly limited commodity^[35].

• Exploitation begins at home^[9].

• Always inspect the merchandise before making a deal^[40].

Revised Rules for the Modern Ferengi

A revised list of rules was created by Grand Nagus Zek in the DS9 episode "Prophet Motive". After consulting a Bajoran orb, the Bajoran Prophets changed Zek, elminiating his greed and thirst for profit. Once Zek was restored to his normal self, the original rules were restored and all copies of the revised rules were to be destroyed^[8]. Grand Nagus Zek In the fictional Star Trek universe, Zek was the Grand Nagus of the Ferengi Alliance throughout most of the 24th century. ... Grand Nagus Zek suddenly proclaims an end to the greedy Ferengi ways, and its up to Quark to figure out what is going on. ... Bajorans, a race of humanoids in the fictional Star Trek universe, were introduced in the Next Generation series and played an integral part in the Deep Space Nine series. ... Tears of the Prophets is a name for the ten Bajoran Orbs in the fictional Star Trek universe. ...

• 1. If they want their money back, give it to them.
• 10. Greed is dead.
• 21. Never place profit before friendship.
• 22. Latinum tarnishes, but family is forever.
• 23. Money can never replace dignity.
• 285. A good deed is its own reward.

Stages of Acquisition

In addition to the Rules, Ferengi recognize five Stages of Acquisition:

1. Infatuation

2. Justification

3. Appropriation

4. Obsession

5. Resale

Look up infatuation in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Justification can mean: justification (jurisprudence) justification (typesetting) justification (theology) In epistemology, justification of a belief is what renders it worth believing in terms of its probable truth. ... Appropriation is the act of taking possession of or assigning purpose to properties or ideas and is important in many topics, including: Appropriation (sociology) in relation to the spread of knowledge Appropriation (art) Appropriation (visual art) [1] Appropriation (music) in reference to the re-use and proliferation of different types... Look up obsession in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Sales, or the activity of selling, forms an integral part of commercial activity. ...

External links

• Rules of Acquisition article at Memory Alpha, a Star Trek wiki.

Memory Alpha (often abbreviated to MA) is a collaborative project to create the most definitive, accurate and accessible encyclopedic reference for topics related to the Star Trek fictional universe. ... The current Star Trek franchise logo Star Trek is an epic American science fiction franchise. ... Look up Wiki in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

References