History abounds with theories that claim to provide understanding for why and how events unfold. For example, there is the Great Man Theory which emphasizes the role of influential individuals. Indeed according to Thomas Carlyle, “The history of the world is but the biography of great men.” Historical materialism or Marxism agues that economic development and struggle between social classes are the main drivers of historical change. Environmental determinism proposes that the physical and geographical environment of a region is the main factor in shaping its history and culture. Technological determinism suggests that the course of history is determined by the development and invention of new technologies. No doubt historians who proffer any one particular theory can point to a few examples that support their particular theoretical choice or belief. However none of these theories have a general predictive value.