bureaucracy

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
bureaucracy /ˌbjʊ(ə)ˈrɒkrəsi/

▶noun (pl. bureaucracies)

• 1 a system of government in which most decisions are taken by state officials rather than by elected representatives.

• 2 excessively complicated administrative procedure.

– derivatives
bureaucratization (or bureaucratisation) noun,
bureaucratize (or bureaucratise) verb.

– origin C19: from Fr. bureaucratie, from bureau (see bureau).