Yk I know Quark is a trash capitalist but, at least where I am in my first watch of DS9 (Season 3, episode 3 – House of Quark) he has a LOT of really really interesting character traits and moments. And, in my person theory so far, does a lot to redeem the race that was entirely comic relief and annoyance in TNG.
Like, he’s pretty much always willing to debase himself for a deal, but he actually does have a really high sense of dignity. When he’s calling Sisko out for disrespecting the Ferengi in S2x26 The Jem’Hadar he points to the ways that Humans don’t treat the Ferengi well but he also comments that despite their cunning, and their tendency towards deceit, the Ferengi are not violent people. They don’t enslave others, they don’t fight interstellar wars, they don’t colonize. They are in fact better or potentially more moral than the other races in this context. The Ferangi may double cross you, but they won’t physically harm you.
And in House of Quark like, yeah he’s really scared about what’s going on but when he demands to see the financial records, his voice is even and serious. He really demonstrates how he is a clever and thoughtful person. AND he solves the problem by manipulating his understanding of Klingon honor to survive a battle he couldn’t win. In The Maquis he OUT LOGICS a Vulcan by using a Ferengi concept of value to advocate for peace (and sets up a pretty clear reason as to why Ferengi largely don’t get involved in wars, they don’t try to make peace “more expensive” than it needs to be).
And I think some of this has to do with the fact that Ferangi seem to have a SHOCKINGLY well developed sense of forgiveness, and Quark is no exception. In Move Along Home, he is terrified. He thinks he might have to send his friends to their deaths (once again proving his has no stomach for violence). But as soon as it turns out to be a game? No problem! All is forgiven, let’s see if we can make a deal. In The Grand Nagus Rom tries to KILL him, and he’s forgiven in a heartbeat. I guess that is what allows them to not be violent, they have their very specific codes and you can double cross people within it but that’s the nature of the beast. They don’t hold onto grudges or blame.
Anyway- Quarkfuckers are right.