Maltsev categories and Maltsev operations (Q1346817)

A Maltsev category is a category with finite limits in which any reflexive relation is an equivalence relation or alternatively is symmetric. Let \(U : {\mathcal E} \to {\mathcal S}\) be a conservative functor preserving finite limits between two categories with finite limits. A Maltsev operation on \(U\) is a natural transformation \(p : U^ 3 \to U\) such that \(p(1_ U \times \Delta_ U) = p_ 1\) and \(p(\Delta_ U \times 1_ U) = p_ 3\) where \(p_ i : U^ 3 \to U\) are the projections. It is proved that if \(U\) has a Maltsev operation then \({\mathcal E}\) is a Maltsev category and that, if \(U : {\mathcal E} \to {\mathcal S} et\) is monadic, the converse is true and is equivalent to the fact that the monad generated by \(U\) is a Maltsev algebra. Applications are given.