The Condorcet paradox is a situation in voting theory where collective preferences can be cyclic, even if individual preferences are not. This means that a group may prefer candidate A over candidate B, candidate B over candidate C, and yet prefer candidate C over candidate A. This creates a contradiction, making it impossible to determine a clear winner based on majority rule. This paradox highlights the complexities of group decision-making and challenges the idea that majority preferences always lead to a consistent outcome. It was named after the French philosopher and mathematician Marquis de Condorcet, who studied voting systems in the 18th century.