Meanings
- countableno pluraluncountableeconomicsAn 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.
The "boots theory", as it has come to be known, is quite analogous to Future Generations Policy.
2026, Taylor Dee Hawkins, Susan Harris Rimmer, Elise Stephenson, Matthew Day, Amie Furlong, Future Generations Policy, Governance and Leadership: Ending 'Policrastination', page 262 more examples
But I have stopped getting the absolute cheapest, and Terry Pratchett was dead on with the boots theory and I wish I had spent more than £25 on my ill-fitting wedding dress that I had to tape to my boobs.
2022 May 29, Kerry Hudson, “Struggling to pay at the supermarket till, I felt that childhood shame flooding back”, in The GuardianFor those who are equally unaware, boots theory explains how the wealthy can afford to live cheaply while the poor cannot.
2023, Andrea Reupert, “'Boots' theory: why mental health initiatives need to address economic inequalities”, in Advances in Mental Health, volume 21, number 2, page 85
Origin
Referencing a fictional theory advanced by the character Sam Vimes in Terry Prachett's novel Men at Arms (1993).
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
boots theory. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/boots%20theory
“boots theory.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/boots%20theory. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “boots theory,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/boots%20theory.
Source: boots theory on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.