Institutionalist scholars disagree over whether democratization increases or decreases corruption. Those arguing in favor of increased corruption contend that democratic diffusion of authority allows numerous players, including members of the legislature, central ministries, and local government, to demand bribes for government services driving up the bribe price and multiplying individual acts of corruption (Johnston, 2005). Elections are claimed to heighten uncertainty, leading to short term oriented bribe taking. Some advocates of the ‘developmental state’ explanation for East Asian development (Amsden, 1989) similarly argue that democratization increases opportunity for politicians and lower level officials to abuse for personal ends the policy tools that had autonomous bureaucrats had previously employed to deliver economic development (Kang, 2002).