The qualified theory

Compare:

Simple universal theory:

Economic hardship causes rebellion.

with:

Qualified theory:

Economic hardship can contribute to rebellion when organizational and political conditions permit.

The second is stronger analytically because it recognizes that hardship may be one causal factor among several.

For example:

economic hardship creates political repression and that creates revolutionary organization and there is the weak state control

may produce rebellion.

But:

economic hardship alone

may not.

Therefore a counterexample does not necessarily destroy the qualified theory.