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Work over the complex numbers. The chain $S_0\subset S_1\subset \cdots \subset S_n$ has multiplicity-free restriction: each irreducible representation restricts to a direct sum of pairwise inequivalent irreducible representations. This structural fact can be proved before identifying the branching diagram. Indeed, the permitted Olshanskii centralizer lemma makes $C_{\mathbb{C}{S}_r}(\mathbb{C}{S}_{r-1})$ commutative, since it is generated by the center at the previous level and the commuting element $X_r$. In each irreducible block this is the endomorphism algebra of the restricted module; a repeated summand would give a noncommutative matrix algebra factor. Thus no identification of the branching graph with Young diagrams is being assumed here.

Successively restricting an irreducible representation $V$ gives one-dimensional spaces $V_T$ indexed by paths of irreducible representations from the trivial $S_0$-module to $V$. Choosing one nonzero vector in each $V_T$ gives a Gelfand–Tsetlin basis. Define the Gelfand–Tsetlin algebra as the subalgebra of $\mathbb{C}{S}_n$ acting diagonally in all these bases. The Artin–Wedderburn theorem identifiesUnder this identification the Gelfand–Tsetlin algebra is the direct sum of the full diagonal matrix algebras in the indicated bases, so it is commutative.

To see that it is actually available inside the group algebra, let $e_{\alpha }^{(r)}$ be the central primitive idempotent selecting the irreducible representation $\alpha$ of $S_r$. For a path $T=({\alpha }_0,\dots ,{\alpha }_n)$ the productis the projection onto $V_T$ in its final irreducible representation and is zero in every other final block. These products commute: a center at a higher level commutes with every element at a lower level. The $P_T$ are precisely the diagonal matrix units, and therefore span the proposed algebra.

If an element of the group algebra commutes with every $P_T$, its matrix preserves every $V_T$ and is diagonal in every block. It already belongs to the Gelfand–Tsetlin algebra. Thuswhich proves that it is a maximal commutative subalgebra.

For the second generation assertion use the permitted Olshanskii centralizer lemma, in the precise formIn particular $Z_r\subseteq \mathrm{alg}(Z_{r-1},X_r)$. Induction puts every $Z_r$ in $\mathrm{alg}(1,X_1,\dots ,X_r)$. Conversely, if $A_r$ is the sum of all transpositions in $S_r$, then $A_r\in Z_r$ and $X_r=A_r-A_{r-1}\in G{Z}_n$. ThereforeHere generation is unital; the zero generator $X_1$ causes no problem.