RC models were introduced in 1969 by Fortuin and Kasteleyn, mainly to solve combinatorial problems. After their founders, it is sometimes referred to as FK models. In 1971 they used it to obtain the FKG inequality. Post 1987, interest in the model and applications in statistical physics reignited. It became the inspiration for the Swendsen–Wang algorithm describing the time-evolution of Potts models. Michael Aizenman and coauthors used it to study the phase boundaries in 1D Ising and Potts models.