The Condorcet method is a voting system used to determine the most preferred candidate in an election. It works by comparing each candidate against every other candidate in head-to-head matchups. The candidate who wins the most of these matchups is declared the winner, assuming they can defeat all others in direct comparisons. This method is named after the French philosopher Marquis de Condorcet, who proposed it in the 18th century. The Condorcet winner is the candidate that would win against each of the other candidates in one-on-one contests, promoting a more representative outcome in elections.