[jmcgready]

I think you might be referring to Pournelle's Iron Law of Bureaucracy:

https://www.jerrypournelle.com/reports/jerryp/iron.html

TL;DR

In any bureaucratic organization there will be two kinds of people:

1) those who are devoted to the goals of the organization,

2) those dedicated to the organization itself.

In every case the second group will gain and keep control of the organization.