History Main / ProudMerchantRace

* Nopon in the ''VideoGame/{{Xenoblade}}'' series are a society largely driven by fair trade. Despite being rather unintimidating balls of fur (one is [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments briefly used as a volleyball]]) often shown to be afraid of the local wildlife, many are [[IntrepidMerchant Intrepid Merchants]], found in odd spots all over Bionis, [[VideoGame/XenobladeChroniclesX Mira]], and [[VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles2 Alrest]], often with domesticated animals far larger than themselves in tow. In ''Xenoblade Chronicles 2'', they have their own MerchantCity and organization in the form of the Argentum Trade Guild.

** Ankh-Morporkian humans. Their [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAqCbOJc6RU national anthem]] includes the line "Let others boast of martial dash, for we have bravely fought with cash!". Its title? ''"We Can Rule You Wholesale"''.

*** Other merchant [[PlanetOfHats hat]] wearers in ''TabletopGame/{{Spelljammer}}'' are Rastipedes (in HonestJohnsDealership style) and Dohwar (with a good dose of PluckyComicRelief).

*** In a fairly rare occurrence, the Ferengi got a social message in there as well. At one point, Quark mentions that the Ferengi never had mass atrocities or significant wars in their past because of their focus on commerce (Rule of Acquisition Number 35: Peace is good for business). In another instance, Quark points out that human's fascination with "doing it themselves" and "not taking shortcuts" means that they take longer to do things they could [[https://www.liveleak.com/view?i=72a_1508590555 just buy]], which prevents them from spending time on other important things.

* The Melnorme of ''VideoGame/StarControlII''. Culturally, they consider giving anything, without fair and just compensation, to be vulgar and inappropriate. One time a different race told them their entire history and all of their knowledge for free, the Melnorme basically forced them to accept a gift in return.
** Do note that this goes both ways for the Melnorme: while they do charge for everything, everything they sell is ''guaranteed'' to be useful or (in the case of information) true to the best of their knowledge. To cheat their customers would be extraordinarily taboo. This is the major thing that separates them from the Druuge.
*** They do, however, withhold one particular piece of information that has been confirmed by WordOfGod. They don't like to advertize that they were formerly known as the Mael-Num and that they were nearly obliterated by the Kohr-Ah at the start of the Doctrinal War. Though even then they stick to their principles--the information ''is'' technically for sale (you can ask them a question which would reveal this), just priced so that it is literally impossible for anyone to actually afford buying the information.

* Nopon in the ''VideoGame/{{Xenoblade}}'' series are a society largely driven by fair trade. Despite being rather unintimidating balls of fur (one is [[CrowningMomentOfFunny briefly used as a volleyball]]) often shown to be afraid of the local wildlife, many are [[IntrepidMerchant Intrepid Merchants]], found in odd spots all over Bionis, [[VideoGame/XenobladeChroniclesX Mira]], and [[VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles2 Alrest]], often with domesticated animals far larger than themselves in tow. In ''Xenoblade Chronicles 2'', they have their own MerchantCity and organization in the form of the Argentum Trade Guild.

** Sembia, human "merchant kingdom" of ''ForgottenRealms''. They earned the reputation of both hard-working and avaricious people. "When you look into a Sembian's eyes, you can see coins being counted in his mind."

*** On the subject of the Rules of Acquisition, which is quoted like the Bible in Ferengi society, expanded universe lore points out that the first rule written was actually labeled Rule of Acquisition Number 65. Which drove up sales as Ferengi payed to learn about the other 64 rules preceding it.

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** ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' introduces the Karemma, merchants who are members of the Dominion. A couple of episodes showed Quark and some Karemma doing trade deals. Unlike Ferengi, they believe in being completely honest in their deals. Oddly, this gets exaggerated to using fixed prices based on manufacturing costs; in other words, they are traders with no concept of market forces or basic economics. Somewhat understandable since the operate under the Dominion, where all aspects of life, including economics, are tightly monitored and controlled.

* ''VideoGame/SinsOfASolarEmpire'' has the Trader Emergency Coalition, who have the strongest economy. The majority of their ships are re-purposed civilian designs with guns strapped on.

* Nopon in ''VideoGame/{{Xenoblade}}'' and its SpiritualSuccessor ''VideoGame/XenobladeChroniclesX'' are a society largely driven by fair trade. Despite being rather unintimidating balls of fur (one is [[CrowningMomentOfFunny briefly used as a volleyball]]) often shown to be afraid of the local wildlife, many are [[IntrepidMerchant Intrepid Merchants]], found in odd spots all over Bionis and Mira, often with domesticated animals far larger than themselves in tow. Appearing once again in ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles2'', they now have their own MerchantCity in Alrest.

* Gorons in ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' series have evolved into this over successive games, though their culture is a mix of this and ProudWarriorRace. Not only are they super-powerful rock-eating rock people, but they also are merchants travelling the land, selling their wares to anyone who will buy--whether that be at [[MerchantCity Hyrule Castle Town]], their [[DeathMountain homeland in a volcano]], or even on [[DesertedIsland random islands]] in the Great Sea. Or in [[IntrepidMerchant stranger places]].

* In ''{{Elantris}}'' the merchants took over Arelon after Elantris fell and tried to force the nation into being a ProudMerchantRace; political positions are awarded according to who earns the most money. Even the king could lose his throne if someone made more than him in a given year (though being able to count the nation's tax revenue as his personal income makes this unlikely).

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Real Lifel]]
* Certain ethnic groups have a history of maintaining good businesses, following in the footsteps of family who inherited good businesses and having learnt from their family on how to do well in business and earning money. This brings way to stereotyping in negative cases. Some noted groups include Jews, Indians, French-Protestants (Huguenots), Afrikaners and Greeks.
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* Nopon in ''VideoGame/{{Xenoblade}}'' and its SpiritualSuccessor ''VideoGame/XenobladeChroniclesX'' are a society largely driven by fair trade. Despite being rather unintimidating balls of fur (one is [[CrowningMomentOfFunny briefly used as a volleyball]]) often shown to be afraid of the local wildlife, many are [[IntrepidMerchant Intrepid Merchants]], found in odd spots all over Bionis and Mira, often with domesticated animals far larger than themselves in tow.

*** In a fairly rare occurrence, the Ferengi got a social message in there as well. At one point, Quark mentions that the Ferengi never had mass atrocities or significant wars in their past because of their focus on commerce (Rule of Acquisition Number 35: Peace is good for business). In another instance, Quark points out that human's fascination with "doing it themselves" and "not taking shortcuts" means that they take longer to do things they could just buyhttps://www.liveleak.com/view?i=72a_1508590555, which prevents them from spending time on other important things.

*** In a fairly rare occurrence, the Ferengi got a social message in there as well. At one point, Quark mentions that the Ferengi never had mass atrocities or significant wars in their past because of their focus on commerce (Rule of Acquisition Number 35: Peace is good for business). In another instance, Quark points out that human's fascination with "doing it themselves" and "not taking shortcuts" means that they take longer to do things they could just buy , which prevents them from spending time on other important things.

* The volus from the ''Franchise/MassEffect'' series. Because of their uselessness in combat they have become a Proud Merchant Race. Their mercantile inclination is so strong that, according to the codex, warfare was never even institutionalized by the Vol state(Although by ME 3 they have developed a small Navy).