Dumping, the sale of commodities on the markets of other countries at prices significantly lower than the average, occasionally below production costs, the purpose being to harm the national production in those countries. Monopoly capital often resorts to dumping in the battle for foreign markets. Dumping acquires an especially large scale in the period of the general crisis of capitalism. Inside their own countries, the cartels sell their products at high monopoly prices while selling the same products abroad at rock-bottom prices in order to ruin the competitor while maximising their own production. Dumping aimed at the seizure of foreign markets results in lower living standards for the working people of the monopoly’s own country, because high monopoly prices are maintained while taxes grow. On the other hand, in the countries where the commodities are dumped, the conditions for the national economy to grow deteriorate and unemployment increases. Commodities are sold at rock-bottom prices for only just long enough to eliminate competitors. Once new markets have been won, the monopolies usually inflate their prices to a level that enables them to offset the losses of dumping sales and obtain extra profit. Today, monopolies make full use of the state for consolidating their positions on foreign markets. Monopoly exports are often subsidised from the state budget. Dumping and state- subsidised exports lead to large-scale trade wars involving many countries; countries respond to dumping prices with protectionist measures. Dumping further exacerbates the internal and external contradictions of imperialism.