GoKawiil'Neijuan' term describes China's economic and social overwork trap
Neijuan, translated as 'involution,' describes a phenomenon where competition intensifies without producing proportional gains, leading to overproduction, price wars, and deflationary pressure among businesses. On a personal level, it reflects the experience of individuals who work harder under fierce competition yet see no real improvement in outcomes, resulting in stress and burnout. The concept originated from anthropologist Alexander Goldenweiser's 1937 work on cultural stagnation and was later adapted to describe modern Chinese economic and social conditions.