Venality is the quality of being for sale, especially when one should act justly instead. This is usually classed as a vice, not a virtue. J.L. Urban, statue of Lady Justice at court building in Olomouc, Czech Republic (1896-1901) Justice is the ideal, morally correct state of things and persons. ... Vice is the opposite of virtue. ... Virtue (Latin virtus; Greek ) is moral excellence of a man or a woman. ...

In its most recognizable form, dishonesty, venality causes people to lie and steal for their personal advantage.

Venality in its mild form is a vice peculiar to persons occupied in government or military organisations. In these, one is supposed to act for honor, not money. This helps assure that the organisation can make a lasting settlement of disputes. For people to accept such settlements, the acts of the government must be seen as just. This perception enhances the legitimacy of the government. It is often used with reference to pre-revolutionary France, where it describes the then-widespread practice of selling administrative positions within the government to the highest bidder. Vice is the opposite of virtue. ... The French Revolution (1789–1799) was a pivotal period in the history of French, European and Western civilization. ...

In contrast, no one would be surprised to find a merchant or hired person making professional decisions for venal reasons. In some sense, their profession demands venality as a duty. This may be why many militaristic societies despise merchants. Militarism or militarist ideology is the doctrinal view of a society as being best served (or more efficient) when it is governed or guided by concepts embodied in the culture, doctrine, system, or people of the military. ...