The rise in the cost of the dollar with respect to other currencies - about 70% since 1980 - resulted in American farmers and businessmen being unable to compete in overseas markets; domestic American industries being wiped out because foreign good cost much less than domestic products; developing countries' debts rising every time the dollar goes up; and the USA trade deficit reaching $150 billion in 1985, thus making the USA a debtor nation for the first time since World War I.