FAQ on Inclusive Voting Procedures > What is a Preferendum? > Can the mathematical difficulties be overcome?
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A Condorcet count suffers from something called a paradox: if Ireland beats Scotland, Scotland beats England, and England beats Ireland, (as in the 2008 six-nations rugby internationals), no-one will know which team is the best. (Except the Welsh.)
Similarly, if in a 3-option ballot, 43% have preferences A-B-C, 33% have B-C-A and 23% C-A-B, then a majority (of 66%) prefer A to B, a majority (of 76%) prefer B to C and a majority (of 56%) prefer C to A. So A is more popular than B is more popular than C is more popular than A is more popular than… ad infinitum. This is called the paradox of voting.
A Condorcet count suffers from the paradox but not an irrelevant alternative. An mbc suffers from an irrelevant alternative but not a paradox. So, to be really sure, as in a parliament, it is better to conduct the count according to the rules of both an mbc and Condorcet; and if the winner in both is the same, then you can be 99% sure you’ve got the right answer.Last updated on September 19, 2008 by Deborda
