Giacinto Dragonetti (28 November 1738 – 7 September 1818) was an Italian jurist and writer. He is best known for his short book A Treatise on Virtues and Rewards, published anonymously in 1766.[1] In it, Dragonetti advances a theory of action based on awarding virtues, as compared to the incentives/punishment-based approach in modern economics.[2] In the introduction to the treatise, Dragonetti states "Men have made millions of laws to punish crimes, and they haven't even established one to reward virtues".[1]
Dragonetti was born in L'Aquila to an old noble family, later moving to Rome and then to Naples in 1760.[1] Here he became a disciple of Antonio Genovesi.[2] His A Treatise on Virtues and Rewards, published two years after Cesare Beccaria's On Crimes and Punishments, met with success and was translated into French, English, Russian and Spanish.[1]
His treatise on virtues was evidently read by Thomas Paine, who quotes "that wise observer of government, Dragonetti" in both Common Sense and a 1792 pamphlet.[3]