The Condorcet paradox occurs in voting systems when collective preferences among voters create cycles, meaning that no candidate is the clear winner based on pairwise comparisons. This highlights a fundamental issue in voting methods, as it illustrates how individuals' preferences can lead to contradictory group preferences, complicating the determination of a fair winner. Understanding this paradox is essential for analyzing the effectiveness and fairness of various voting methods, as it showcases the potential inconsistencies that can arise in election outcomes.
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