A socio-economic theory named by the character Captain Samuel Vimes in Terry Pratchet's novel "Men at Arms." The boots theory suggests that wealthy individuals end up spending less money in the long run compared to poorer individuals due to the wealthy being able to invest in high-quality products that last for several years or more, whereas the impoverished must subsist on cheaper, low-quality versions of the same items that only last for a short period of time before needing to be replaced.
"My rich friend is able to buy a pair of boots that cost me two months' salary, and they'll last him forever. I'm stuck buying crappy knock-offs that wear out after only a few weeks. That's boots theory in practice right there."
by AOmundson January 29, 2022