Potential-theoretic nature of Hardy's inequality for Dirichlet forms (Q2488791)

The authors [\textit{M. Rao} and \textit{H. Sikic}, Isr. J. Math. 83, No. 1--2, 97--127 (1993; Zbl 0786.31006)] have established a potential theoretic approach to Hardy's inequality, valid on abstract measure space. The main tool was a form of maximum principle for abstract kernels. In a recent paper \textit{P. J. Fitzsimmons} [J. Math. Anal. Appl. 250, No. 2, 548--560 (2000; Zbl 0979.26007)] has developed a very general form of Hardy's inequality, which is valid for the Dirichlet form of a symmetric Markov process. The purpose of the paper under review is to give a proof for the result of P. J. Fitzsimmons in the abstract potential theoretic framework. This proof clearly emphasizes the role played by the maximum principle in the inequality.