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Is it moral to join the Jan Lokpal movement?

There's an on-going mass movement in India wherein people are fasting to get an anti-corruption Jan Lok Pal Bill passed by the Govt. Anna Hazare who leads the movement is in a fast unto death to demand for the same. I'm not aware of the philosophy the movement is based on, if any. However, I am against corruption. But also against too many prevalent conditions in India. The environment would be better if the bill gets passed albeit not satisfactory given the many perpetual problems in India. So would it matter one or the other if I participate in the movement and fast along or just support the movement? More importantly, would it be moral to do so? And is fasting the right means of placing demands? Well, I've chosen to remain just a silent spectator as it might be too late until I understand what is the right thing to do in such circumstances.
You may refer the following site for the details concerning the Bill/Act:
http://www.indiaagainstcorruption.org/

Kruppz , 07.04.2011, 09:32
Idea status: rejected

Comments

Jerry Johnson, 07.04.2011, 10:29
Objectivism does not call upon self-denial, fasting, and other self-sacrificial means to gain supposedly positive ends for the common good.

As an Indian and an Objectivist, I am not in favor of Anna Hazare's Lokpal bill in any form. He wants to institute yet another authoritative body (that would have judicial and law-enforcement powers) to monitor the other authoritative body (namely, the government). This is simply creating an extra-governmental body to do the functions which a proper government should be doing anyway as part of its very reason for existing. When a government goes bad, one should not simply institute another government body on top of it! One should work to fix the current government we have.

Anna Hazare's authoritative body can be susceptible to same risks of corruption and bribery that the central government is mired in. There is no other solution to corruption other than denying the politicians and bureaucrats a monopoly on the "supply" of the goods and services that they currently control. Which means, we need to kick the government out of every aspect of our private affairs and release the supply of goods and services into private, competitive hands.

No government interference in sports, religion, marriage, etc.
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DianaHsieh, 10.04.2011, 10:40
See this post: http://ergosum.wordpress.com/2011/04/07/why-you-should-not-support-anna-hazares-lokpal-bill/
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