The story
Referencing a fictional theory advanced by the character Sam Vimes in Terry Prachett's novel Men at Arms (1993).
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
boots theory
Today it means: An economic theory holding that poverty leads to increased long-term expenses, as poor people generally cannot afford well-made goods with high durability, only cheap, low-quality goods requiring frequent replacement. Full definition →