This article examines how rumors impact democracy and transparency in a cooperative workplace. Although literature on rumors generally analyzes them as negative to workplace culture, the author argues that rumors constitute a critical aspect of democratic participation. Drawing on long-term ethnographic fieldwork in a worker-recuperated business in Argentina, the author shows how members use rumors to incite deliberation, participate in decision-making, question organizational policy, and oversee managerial authority. Although informal communication at work can create uncertainty, confusion, and concerns about efficiency, the author finds that rumors can also increase worker influence, encourage organizational accountability, and ultimately protect against the consolidation of power.

中文翻译：

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饮水机民主：合作工作场所的谣言和透明度

本文探讨了谣言如何影响合作工作场所的民主和透明度。尽管有关谣言的文献通常将其分析为对工作场所文化的负面影响，但作者认为，谣言构成了民主参与的一个关键方面。作者利用阿根廷一家工人休养企业的长期民族志实地考察，展示了成员如何利用谣言煽动商议、参与决策、质疑组织政策和监督管理权威。尽管工作中的非正式交流会造成不确定性、混乱和对效率的担忧，但作者发现谣言也可以增加员工的影响力，鼓励组织问责制，并最终防止权力的巩固。