Giuseppe Palmieri (Martignano, 5 May 1721 – Naples, 1 February 1793) was an Italian economist and politician of the 18th century.

While in Naples he also studied philosophy and economy under Antonio Genovesi, locally one of the most important interpreter of European Age of Enlightenment writers, while also learning Latin, French and German.

As a landowner, he became interested in political economy and practical means to modernize the outdated economic system of southern Italy.

In 1787 he was summoned to Naples to enter the supreme treasury council and in 1791 he became the new Minister of Finance of the Kingdom.

During the 1780s, while conducting his political career, Palmieri published several books on economy, advocating reforms, governmental action to favor public welfare, a better redistribution of land property and the abolition of the feudal system.