Venality
Encyclopedia
Venality is a vice
associated with being bribeable or of selling one's services or power, especially when one should act justly
instead. In its most recognizable form, dishonesty
, venality causes people to lie and steal for their personal advantage, and is related to bribery
and nepotism
, among other vices.
Venality in its mild form is a vice notable especially among those with government
or military
career
s. In these fields, one is supposed to act with justice and honor and not accept bribes. That ensures that the organization is not susceptible to self-interested parties. For people to accept settlements and legislation
, the acts of the government must be seen as just. This perception enhances the legitimacy of the government. Venality is a term 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, especially regarding the Nobles of the Robe
.
:
In contrast to the previous interpretation, dishonesty
is not specifically expressed in the literal meaning, but is often implied. The condition of failing to act justly
is not a literal component of the word's meaning either. By definition, committing "venal" acts does not indicate "stealing" or "lying", but rather suggests a consensual arrangement, perhaps without conscience or regard for consequences, but is not synonymous with stealing. While bribery
could be related, nepotism
clearly has no literal similarity or correlation with venality. Though venality is generally used as a pejorative term, an individual or entity could be venal (or mercenary) and not be corrupt or unethical. One could perform one's duties or job in a perfunctory manner in order to collect a wage or payment, or prostitute one's time or skills for monetary or material gain, without necessarily being dishonest.
Much contemporary use of the words venal or venality is applied to modern professional athletes, particularly baseball
, basketball
and American football
players in the United States and soccer players all around the world. The implication being that the highly-paid players are essentially "hired guns" with no allegiance
to any team or city, and are motivated solely by the acquisition of material wealth.
Several so-called Reality TV programs have been criticized for their promotion of venal behavior; specifically Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire?
, in which fifty women competed to marry a presumed multi-millionaire who was shown only in silhouette
. The premise that the contestants would compete to marry an unseen stranger for no other reason than his wealth would be an example of venality.
"Venality" used in a pejorative but accurate sense, is used when describing apparent acts of care with an ulterior mercenary motive. An example is where one of a number of children seeks to care for his or her elderly parents, outwardly presenting compassion, but at the same time securing for himself or herself, access to and ultimate control of a greater share of income and assets than such person would be entitled to on a pro-rata
distribution.
Vice
Vice is a practice or a behavior or habit considered immoral, depraved, or degrading in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a defect, an infirmity, or merely a bad habit. Synonyms for vice include fault, depravity, sin, iniquity, wickedness, and corruption...
associated with being bribeable or of selling one's services or power, especially when one should act justly
Justice
Justice is a concept of moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion, or equity, along with the punishment of the breach of said ethics; justice is the act of being just and/or fair.-Concept of justice:...
instead. In its most recognizable form, dishonesty
Dishonesty
Dishonesty is a word which, in common usage, may be defined as the act or to act without honesty. It is used to describe a lack of probity, cheating, lying or being deliberately deceptive or a lack in integrity, knavishness, perfidiosity, corruption or treacherousness...
, venality causes people to lie and steal for their personal advantage, and is related to bribery
Bribery
Bribery, a form of corruption, is an act implying money or gift giving that alters the behavior of the recipient. Bribery constitutes a crime and is defined by Black's Law Dictionary as the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official or...
and nepotism
Nepotism
Nepotism is favoritism granted to relatives regardless of merit. The word nepotism is from the Latin word nepos, nepotis , from which modern Romanian nepot and Italian nipote, "nephew" or "grandchild" are also descended....
, among other vices.
Venality in its mild form is a vice notable especially among those with government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
or military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
career
Career
Career is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as a person's "course or progress through life ". It is usually considered to pertain to remunerative work ....
s. In these fields, one is supposed to act with justice and honor and not accept bribes. That ensures that the organization is not susceptible to self-interested parties. For people to accept settlements and legislation
Legislation
Legislation is law which has been promulgated by a legislature or other governing body, or the process of making it...
, the acts of the government must be seen as just. This perception enhances the legitimacy of the government. Venality is a term often used with reference to pre-revolutionary France
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, where it describes the then-widespread practice of selling administrative positions within the government to the highest bidder, especially regarding the Nobles of the Robe
Nobles of the Robe
Under the Old Regime, the Nobles of the Robe or Nobles of the Gown were French aristocrats who owed their rank to judicial or administrative posts — often bought outright for high sums. As a rule, these positions did not grant the holder with a title , but were honorary positions almost always...
.
Literal Definition
Below is the definition of "venality" from The Oxford English DictionaryOxford English Dictionary
The Oxford English Dictionary , published by the Oxford University Press, is the self-styled premier dictionary of the English language. Two fully bound print editions of the OED have been published under its current name, in 1928 and 1989. The first edition was published in twelve volumes , and...
:
- The quality or fact of being for sale.
- The quality of being venal; readiness to give support or favour in return for profit or reward; prostitution of talents or principles for mercenaryMercenaryA mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
considerations.
In contrast to the previous interpretation, dishonesty
Dishonesty
Dishonesty is a word which, in common usage, may be defined as the act or to act without honesty. It is used to describe a lack of probity, cheating, lying or being deliberately deceptive or a lack in integrity, knavishness, perfidiosity, corruption or treacherousness...
is not specifically expressed in the literal meaning, but is often implied. The condition of failing to act justly
Justice
Justice is a concept of moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion, or equity, along with the punishment of the breach of said ethics; justice is the act of being just and/or fair.-Concept of justice:...
is not a literal component of the word's meaning either. By definition, committing "venal" acts does not indicate "stealing" or "lying", but rather suggests a consensual arrangement, perhaps without conscience or regard for consequences, but is not synonymous with stealing. While bribery
Bribery
Bribery, a form of corruption, is an act implying money or gift giving that alters the behavior of the recipient. Bribery constitutes a crime and is defined by Black's Law Dictionary as the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official or...
could be related, nepotism
Nepotism
Nepotism is favoritism granted to relatives regardless of merit. The word nepotism is from the Latin word nepos, nepotis , from which modern Romanian nepot and Italian nipote, "nephew" or "grandchild" are also descended....
clearly has no literal similarity or correlation with venality. Though venality is generally used as a pejorative term, an individual or entity could be venal (or mercenary) and not be corrupt or unethical. One could perform one's duties or job in a perfunctory manner in order to collect a wage or payment, or prostitute one's time or skills for monetary or material gain, without necessarily being dishonest.
Much contemporary use of the words venal or venality is applied to modern professional athletes, particularly baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
players in the United States and soccer players all around the world. The implication being that the highly-paid players are essentially "hired guns" with no allegiance
Allegiance
An allegiance is a duty of fidelity said to be owed by a subject or a citizen to his/her state or sovereign.-Etymology:From Middle English ligeaunce . The al- prefix was probably added through confusion with another legal term, allegeance, an "allegation"...
to any team or city, and are motivated solely by the acquisition of material wealth.
Several so-called Reality TV programs have been criticized for their promotion of venal behavior; specifically Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire?
Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire?
Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire? is a Fox network reality show in which multi-millionaire Rick Rockwell asked Darva Conger to marry him...
, in which fifty women competed to marry a presumed multi-millionaire who was shown only in silhouette
Silhouette
A silhouette is the image of a person, an object or scene consisting of the outline and a basically featureless interior, with the silhouetted object usually being black. Although the art form has been popular since the mid-18th century, the term “silhouette” was seldom used until the early decades...
. The premise that the contestants would compete to marry an unseen stranger for no other reason than his wealth would be an example of venality.
"Venality" used in a pejorative but accurate sense, is used when describing apparent acts of care with an ulterior mercenary motive. An example is where one of a number of children seeks to care for his or her elderly parents, outwardly presenting compassion, but at the same time securing for himself or herself, access to and ultimate control of a greater share of income and assets than such person would be entitled to on a pro-rata
Pro-rata
Pro rata is an adverb or adjective, meaning in proportion. The term is used in many legal and economic contexts. It is sometimes spelled pro-rata, but this is technically a misspelling of the Latin phrase...
distribution.