A configurational characterization of the Moufang generalized polygons (Q2276753)

A generalized polygon [see the survey article by \textit{W. M. Kantor}, Lect. Notes Math. 1181, 79-158 (1986; Zbl 0599.51015)] is a generalization of a projective plane, since a projective plane is nothing else than a generalized 3-gon. The notion of (p,L)-transitivity in a projective plane, (p,L) a point-line pair, generalizes to transitivity with respect to some ``root \({\mathfrak R}''\) in a generalized polygon. As transitivity for all flags (p,L) in a projective plane characterizes the Moufang projective planes, in general the transitivity with respect to all roots defines the Moufang generalized polygons which are essentially known. Now, a well known theorem by R. Baer states the equivalence of (p,L)- transitivity and the (p,L)-theorem of Desargues for projective planes. In the paper under review an \({\mathfrak R}\)-theorem of Desargues with respect to a fixed root \({\mathfrak R}\) is established for generalized n-gons involving two ordinary n-gons which are in perspective position with respect to the root. The main theorem of the paper states the equivalence of the \({\mathfrak R}\)-theorem of Desargues and \({\mathfrak R}\)-transitivity (\({\mathfrak R}\) a fixed root) for generalized polygons. This fundamental theorem yields as a corollary a common configurational characterization of all Moufang generalized polygons, providing in particular the first geometric characterization of the known generalized octagons.