What is Condorcet Paradox?

Condorcet Paradox is a mental model used for better thinking and decision-making.

How do you apply Condorcet Paradox?

To apply Condorcet Paradox, identify situations where this framework is relevant, then use it as a lens to evaluate your options and decisions. The model is most useful when combined with other complementary mental models.

What category does Condorcet Paradox fall under?

Condorcet Paradox falls under the Philosophy, Law & Politics category of mental models. Other models in this category can be found on the Philosophy, Law & Politics hub page.

Why is Condorcet Paradox important?

Condorcet Paradox is important because it provides a structured way to think about problems that would otherwise be approached with intuition alone. Understanding this model helps you avoid common reasoning errors and make better decisions.

Where does Condorcet Paradox come from?

Condorcet Paradox is discussed in the tradition of Marquis de Condorcet.

Philosophy, Law & Politics

Condorcet Paradox

Model #0855Category: Philosophy, Law & PoliticsSource: Marquis de CondorcetDepth to apply:

5 min read

Contents

1. Core Idea
2. How to See It
3. How to Use It
4. Founders & Leaders
5. Connected Models
6. One Key Quote
7. Summary & Further Reading

Subscribe to read the full Condorcet Paradox analysis — when to use it, when it misleads, step-by-step application, and company examples.

Membership gives you full access to every piece of research in the library, plus the AI assistant.

Start 7-Day Free Trial

Cancel anytime.

Or get the newsletter free — I send one every week.

Full subscribe page

Or ask about this topic — 5 free questions included

Continue exploring

ST

Mental model

Stoicism

Focus only on what you can control, accept what you cannot, and build virtue as

TM

Mental model

The Socratic Method

Systematic questioning to expose hidden assumptions, clarify thinking, and arriv

TT

Mental model

Thucydides Trap

When a rising power threatens to displace a ruling power, the resulting structur

BP

Mental model

Burden of Proof

CC

Mental model

Cargo Cults

CP

Mental model

Cave of Plato

I send a newsletter every week — free, no spam, unsubscribe anytime.

Or open the full subscribe page.

Popular Mental Models

First Principles Thinking Occam's Razor Circle of Competence Inversion Confirmation Bias Second-Order Thinking Dunning-Kruger Effect Survivorship Bias Pareto Principle Opportunity Cost

Philosophy, Law & Politics

Section 1

Core Idea

The Condorcet Paradox shows that collective preferences can be irrational even when every individual's preferences are perfectly rational. If voters prefer A over B, B over C, and C over A, majority rule produces a cycle with no clear winner. This isn't a flaw in the voters — it's a structural property of aggregating ranked preferences across groups. The paradox reveals that "what the group wants" may not be a coherent concept when preferences are multidimensional. It undermines the assumption that democratic voting straightforwardly reveals a collective will. The outcome often depends not on what people prefer, but on how the vote is structured — which alternatives are compared, and in what order.