"Greed" is:

It was asked on a website recently what an appropriate definition of “greed” is. Typically the word is tossed around to mark anyone who has been successful or wealthy as being somehow evil and morally corrupt (as the word has now come to be associated with mere wealth).

So, I offer the following observation:

Greed is; when one's lust for material gain or power surpasses a point where their intentions, actions, and interactions are peaceful, honest, and responsible.

By this definition, the mere -- normal -- desire to succeed, excel, and acquire is not “greed” no matter how wealthy or accomplished one may be. And, of course, one can be “poor” and exhibit these very traits as well.

Most business people are not “greedy,” but most politicians surely are. In the end, the pathological and morally corrupt attributes defined above as greed are standard behavior amongst those who seek to impose their will through compulsion and thus increase their power and authority over the lives of others.