Why are some nations so rich? Why do they grow so dramatically? Why do some nations struggle to simply survive? Some say that Landes' book, The Wealth and Poverty of Nations, provides answers to these questions. Due to the book's high-profile, and following on from various anonymous assaults on my disclosure of cases of academic misconduct, this paper seeks to illustrate how an incorrect translation can convey erroneous information and mislead readers. Showing how the Chinese translation of this best seller contains considerable errors, this article gives examples of how shoddy translation practices not only distorts the core contents of the original work, but also circulates incomplete knowledge. Consequently, it is evident that any attempt to block academic criticism is detrimental to academic freedom and enhances the circulation of erroneous materials produced by certain academics.