Simple Modules, Semisimple Inheritance

Semisimple Inheritance

If R is a left semisimple ring, then every left R module is also semisimple.

Let M be a cyclic R module, with a generator g.  Let H be the left ideal in R that maps g to 0.  Thus M is isomorphic to the cosets of H in R.  In other words, M is a quotient module of R, and we know that the homomorphic image of a semisimple module is semisimple.  Therefore M is semisimple.

Remember that a module is semisimple iff it is spanned by simple modules.

Now let M be any R module.  Each element of M acts as a generator, spanning a semisimple module.  Yet every semisimple module is spanned by simple modules.  Therefore all of M is spanned by simple modules, and M is a semisimple module.