 Solution

Work in finite dimension over $\mathbb{C}$; the characteristic-zero real version follows by complexification. The Cartan solvability criterion isIts semisimplicity consequence, also often called Cartan's criterion, is $\mathfrak{g}$ is semisimple if and only if its Killing form is nondegenerate. We prove both forms.

The auxiliary results used are as follows. The Lie theorem simultaneously triangularizes every finite-dimensional representation of a complex solvable Lie algebra. The Engel theorem says that a matrix Lie algebra consisting entirely of nilpotent endomorphisms has a common annihilated nonzero vector and a basis making all its matrices strictly upper triangular; in particular it is a nilpotent Lie algebra. Nilpotent means that the lower central series terminates, which implies that the derived series terminates as well. Finally, the Additive Jordan decomposition writes any complex endomorphism uniquely as $x=x_s+x_n$, where $x_s$ is diagonalizable, $x_n$ is nilpotent and they commute. On a generalized eigenspace $V_{\lambda }$, the two parts are $\lambda I$ and $x-\lambda I$, and both are polynomials in $x$. On endomorphisms, $\mathrm{ad}{x}_s$ is diagonalizable, $\mathrm{ad}{x}_n$ is nilpotent, and these are the Jordan parts of $\mathrm{ad}x$: the first assertion follows by splitting into maps between eigenspaces, and the second by expanding repeated commutators with the nilpotent $x_n$.

First prove the linear trace version: if $L\subseteq \mathfrak{gl}(V)$ andthen $L$ is solvable. Fix $x\in [L,L]$ and let $V=⨁V_{\lambda }$ be its generalized eigenspace decomposition. Define $y$ to act on $V_{\lambda }$ by the scalar $\overline{\lambda }$. We do not assume that $y$, $x_s$ or $x_n$ belongs to $L$.

On $\mathrm{Hom}(V_{\mu },V_{\lambda })$, $\mathrm{ad}x$ has the form $(\lambda -\mu )I+N$ with $N$ nilpotent, whereas $\mathrm{ad}y$ is multiplication by $\overline{\lambda -\mu }$. Choose a polynomial $q$ with $q(d)=\bar{d}$ for every occurring eigenvalue difference $d$, and with all its derivatives of positive order up to the relevant nilpotency index zero at $d$. Such a polynomial exists by Hermite interpolation, or the Chinese remainder theorem for the pairwise coprime powers of $(t-d)$. At $d=0$ its value is zero, so $q(0)=0$. Expanding $q(dI+N)$ now givesBecause $x\in L$ and $[L,L]$ is an ideal, every positive power of $\mathrm{ad}x$ sends $L$ into $[L,L]$. The zero constant term therefore gives $[y,L]\subseteq [L,L]$.

Express $x$ as a sum of commutators ${\sum }_j[a_j,b_j]$ with $a_j,b_j\in L$. Cyclicity of trace and the hypothesis implyBut on $V_{\lambda }$, $xy$ has trace $\dim (V_{\lambda })|\lambda {|}^2$, since the nilpotent part has trace zero. Henceforcing every eigenvalue of $x$ to vanish. Thus every member of the derived algebra $[L,L]$ is a nilpotent endomorphism. By the Engel theorem, $[L,L]$ is nilpotent and therefore solvable; its derived series terminates, and adjoining the initial term $L$ shows that $L$ is solvable.

Conversely, if $L$ is solvable, the Lie theorem makes it upper triangular. Commutators of upper-triangular matrices have zero diagonal, and multiplying such a commutator by an upper-triangular matrix still has zero diagonal. Therefore the trace condition holds. Apply this equivalence to $L=\mathrm{ad}\mathfrak{g}$. Its trace pairing is the Killing form, and solvability of its image is equivalent to solvability of $\mathfrak{g}$: the kernel is its abelian centre, so a terminating derived series in the quotient terminates after at most one more step in $\mathfrak{g}$. This proves the solvability criterion.

For the semisimplicity criterion, let $R$ be the radical of the Killing form. Invariance makes $R$ a Lie algebra ideal. For $x,y\in R$, their adjoint actions on $\mathfrak{g}/R$ vanish, so computing trace in a basis adapted to $R$ gives $B_R(x,y)=B_{\mathfrak{g}}(x,y)=0$. The solvability criterion applied to $R$ shows it is a solvable ideal. Thus a semisimple Lie algebra has $R=0$ and a nondegenerate Killing form.

Conversely, any nonzero solvable ideal has a last nonzero term $A$ in its derived series; this is an abelian ideal of $\mathfrak{g}$. For $x\in A$, $y\in \mathfrak{g}$, the map $\mathrm{ad}x\mathrm{ad}y$ sends $\mathfrak{g}$ into $A$ and vanishes on $A$, so has trace zero. Hence $A\subseteq R$. A nondegenerate Killing form therefore rules out nonzero solvable ideals, exactly the definition of semisimplicity.

For classification, nondegeneracy of the Killing form provides the duality and root-space pairings used to extract a reduced crystallographic root system from a semisimple Lie algebra. Classification then reduces to the finite Dynkin diagrams and reconstruction of the Lie algebra from its root data.