Business Wars/Ferengi vs. Hutts

[Darth Wong]

TNG shows Ferengi do use force.

And yet, in DS9, when a Ferengi capable of using force was brought on the station, the mere existence of such a person came as a surprise, as stated explicitly in dialogue. DS9 Ferengi are pussies. TNG Ferengi are different; one must wonder what happened between the two series.

[Darth Fanboy]

WE saw in TNG that the Ferengi aboard the Marauders were more agressive, but for some reason when they arent part of a crew like that they seem to be more pussified, perhaps thats just part of bieng part of the Ferengi Armed Forces (if thats even what it is)

[harbringer]

Brian if Quark can find a mercenary/bounty hunter I am certain the hutts will. Regardless of the place a Hutt is tough to kill (unless their ego ties you to a high tensile chain connected to them) and has a long life span. As far as Jabba went all I could see he wanted from leia was to deliberately demean her and make her life miserable, course it is fantasy so he might have been sexualy compatible but I doubt it.

Hutts delight in cruelty as much as or more than the obsidian order or (the over mentioned) section 31. There was no other reason for the dancing girl to go to the rancor. There is no way the ferengi would do the same as there is no evidence for it. Until we see quark kill off one of his casino girls so people can get a good giggle and maybe bet on it I think they are much worse.

Hutts have for a long time employed smugglers and found illicit cargo's to flog, bribed officials, hired mercenaries and bounty hunters. Their method of advancement is usually to kill the competition in the way to best inspire terror.

All in all a ferengi might leave you to freeze to death but only a hutt would toast marshmellows and enjoy the show.

[brianeyci]

All in all a ferengi might leave you to freeze to death but only a hutt would toast marshmellows and enjoy the show.

One is reminded of Dr. Evil and the pointlessly slow torture devices that are supposed to be entertaining yet never manage to kill. Or villians that let their nemesis escape while cackling with glee.

For the Ferengi are pussies in DS9 point, there is no evidence that there was some sort of cultural revolution in Ferengi society that brought them to that point. As well, there is no evidence that those Ferengi that took over Ent-D were part of the "Ferengi Armed Forces", they were in business for themselves. The only reasonable explaination is that there are different philosophies Ferengi live by. Of course Nog and Rom are going to be surprised there is a Ferengi Bounty Hunter around -- Rom was surprised that Quark had such connections and didn't know what an "eliminator" was (some sort of bounty hunter equivalent in the ST-verse probably). Quark saying Leck is not your typical Ferengi can mean many things, one possibility is that Leck enjoys killing unlike most Ferengi rather than doing for profit. It does not have to mean Ferengi bounty hunters are rare.

Brian

[harbringer]

<shrugs> the difference is how many people escaped jabba's pet? 1 and a full Jedi at that. They may like games but I think you belittle them by making poor comparisons that dont apply. It would be like me saying I was reminded of generous church goers by Quarks treatment of his mother and thus ferengi are simply too soft to win. Neither applies.

At least you have the guts to stick up for your principals though I am impressed by that. You still need to think more before you write though.

[brianeyci]

<shrugs> the difference is how many people escaped jabba's pet? 1 and a full Jedi at that. They may like games but I think you belittle them by making poor comparisons that dont apply. It would be like me saying I was reminded of generous church goers by Quarks treatment of his mother and thus ferengi are simply too soft to win. Neither applies.

The only point I wanted to bring up was that this kind of "glee" in torturing and killing someone is not good for business. Pleasure gets in the way of business, I believe there are a few rules of acquisition about this very point.

At least you have the guts to stick up for your principals though I am impressed by that. You still need to think more before you write though.

Uh thanks.

Brian

[Crown]

This is boardering on 'Bill Gates' vs 'Michael Corleone' ... I'll let others fill in who is who!

[The Third Man]

What's the comparative lifespans of the two?

Hutts live a long time; if this is much longer than a Ferrengi then we could expect to see some differences in business style. The Hutts could, for example, afford to take their time, wait for investments to mature and organisations to be built up, then operate from a position of relatively greater strength. Ferengi would be more concerned with a rapid return on investment and with exit strategies.

To answer the specifics:

-becomes successful quicker

Ferengi

-eventually becomes more successful overall

Hutts.

-has the best chances of dealing with the authorities

Not sure. But I feel Jabba was too confrontational and arrogant, whilst Quark demonstrated a certain level of shrewd (but at times inept) deviousness. If these individuals are typical of the business styles of the two species, then the Ferengi would probably do better if the authorities in question are much more powerful than the business empires (and are determined to go after them)

[harbringer]

According to one of the novels a hutt might live as long as 300 or more.

Brian when your a mob lord you have to enjoy pain, you wouldn't be able to stomach it otherwise

[Lancer]

What's the lifespan of a Ferengi?

I remember DS9 had some episode that would indicate a long lifespan for the Ferengi.

[Lord Pounder]

WE saw in TNG that the Ferengi aboard the Marauders were more agressive, but for some reason when they arent part of a crew like that they seem to be more pussified, perhaps thats just part of bieng part of the Ferengi Armed Forces (if thats even what it is)

From what i've gathered, they are more like a heavily armed merchant navy. The captains still need to earn a profit or they lose their command and Latinium. Ferengi are natiral cowards but a D'Kora Class Marauder gives the worms some sharp teeth.

[Kuja]

TNG shows Ferengi do use force.

And yet, in DS9, when a Ferengi capable of using force was brought on the station, the mere existence of such a person came as a surprise, as stated explicitly in dialogue. DS9 Ferengi are pussies. TNG Ferengi are different; one must wonder what happened between the two series.

Perhaps there are two Ferengi societes: a 'pirate' society and the 'business' society. The 'pirate' society makes their livings by going out and forcibly separating folks from their assets. The 'business' society prefers to take advantage of others by means less direct. It could even be that this 'business' society is considered the 'true' Ferengi government because it is based on Ferenginar and the 'pirate' society started off as a group of exiles who had to find a new way to live and developed a preference for arm-twisting.

[Darth Fanboy]

Or perhaps the government deals out Marauders on sort of a gov't contract deal. The Gov't gets a cut of the profits and the ship operates on a charter. (like British ships in the 1700s?)

[The Silence and I]

<snip>

Well you beat me to it. Ferengi impress me more as profit seekers, but the Hutt will eventually win, either through simple longer life, the uncanny ability to attract all many of high paying scum or some combo. I would also tend to agree the Ferengi may be better at sidestepping the law, but Jabba may simply be an arrogant bastard who has lost respect for the authorities over the years.

[LaCroix]

Ferengi are very clever businessmen and good in "cross and double cross" games. But the Hutts are far more violent in their methods, so they will get in front. Economically, the Ferengi would be better, but they won't survive long enough against the Hutts.They just don't have the experience in organized crime wars.

Slight advantage for the Hutts.

[Darth Lucifer]

Let's not forget the time when the Ferengi first officer (i think that's what he was) was willing to get inside of Lwaxana Troi's head to try and figure out her telepathy, even if it meant killing her (unlike his captain and his oo-mox in the episode "Menage a Troi.").

This is one of the prime examples where I started to see the decline of the Ferengi. I liked them when they had energy whips and hardly spoke. They were at least somewhat menacing.