The problem of the existence of a finite basis of identities for a variety of associative algebras over a field of characteristic zero was formulated by Specht in 1950. We say that a variety of algebras has the Specht property if any of its subvariety has a finite basis of identities. In 1988, A. Kemer proved that the variety of associative algebras over a field of characteristic zero has the Specht property. Specht’s problem has been studied for many well-known varieties of algebras, such as Lie algebras, alternative algebras, right-alternative algebras, and Novikov algebras. An algebra is called right-symmetric if it satisfies the identity (a,b,c) = (a,c,b) where (a,b,c) = (ab)ca(bc) is the associator of a, b, c. The talk is devoted to the Specht problem for the variety of right-symmetric algebras. It is proved that the variety of right-symmetric algebras over an arbitrary field does not satisfy the Specht property.

The talk is based on the results of joint work with U. Umirbaev.

This video is part of the European Non-Associative Algebra Seminar series.