Usually, for a private company, there is a forcing function (profit and loss) that incentivizes the management to ensure the knives are at least functional. Pub

Usually, for a private company, there is a forcing function (profit and loss) that incentivizes the management to ensure the knives are at least functional. Public employment doesn't have the same forcing function, and runs the risk of turning into a jobs program for the otherwise unemployable or a patronage network. Of course, none of this is exclusive to one or the other.