Niccolò Machiavelli lived in Florence, Italy, in 1400. The Italian country was divided into city-states that had their own leaders, but all swore allegiance to their king. In a time when great leaders were needed to help a city-state and country develop, Machiavelli had a theory that man needed a leader to control them. In his book The Prince he talks about the perfect leader. I believe that man, by nature, is neither good nor bad. When a child comes out of its mother, there is no telling whether or not that child will be a serial killer or win the Nobel Peace Prize. A child's environment is what shapes them to be the adult they will be one day. I believe it is also what one believes that makes him who that person will be one day. However, Machiavelli believed that man was naturally an evil being, requiring control (Prince). The idea that man is an evil being, by nature, is expressed in Machiavelli's book The Prince. He wrote that a prince should break the promises made to his subjects because the man is evil and will break the promises made to his prince (Prince). I don't agree with this theory because I think man will make his own decision based on whether he has good character or not. I believe a leader should tell the truth and gain public support by being known for this behavior. Machiavelli seems to have the idea of ​​preparing for the worst and thinking in terms of the worst. This is a preventative measure that will benefit anyone with evil intentions. Only a person who thinks man is evil would think of ways to run a government the way Machiavelli thought a government should be run. Machiavelli believed that “cunning and deceitful princes have historically defeated faithful princes” (Prince). What happened to the idea of ​​a thoughtful leader, someone who could be trusted to make decisions that the majority of people agreed with? I disagree with Machiavelli that a leader should be deceitful for his country to succeed or grow. I think what a leader is depends on what kind of man you are, good or bad. The leader that Machiavelli describes as the ideal one is evil.