Bureaucracy

n.	1.	A system of carrying on the business of government by means of departments or bureaus, each under the control of a chief, in contradiction to a system in which the officers of government have an associated authority and responsibility; also, government conducted on this system.
	2.	Government officials, collectively; - used especially of nonelected government officials.

Noun

1.

bureaucracy - nonelective government officials Synonyms: bureaucratism

BUREAUCRACY. The abuse of official influence in the affairs of government; corruption. This word has lately been adopted to signify that those persons who are employed in bureaus abuse their authority by intrigue to promote their own benefit, or that of friends, rather than the public good. The word is derived from the French.

administration, authorities, beadledom, beat, beaten path, bumbledom, bureaucratism, chinoiserie, daily grind, directorate, government, grind, groove, hierarchy, higher echelons, higher-ups, jog trot, management, ministry, official jargon, officialdom, officialism, prelacy, red tape, red-tapeism, red-tapery, round, routine, ruling class, ruling classes, run, rut, squirrel cage, the Establishment, the administration, the authorities, the ingroup, the interests, the people upstairs, the power elite, the power structure, the top, them, they, top brass, track, treadmill, well-worn groove