This question is related to my other question here but is different enough that I thought I might ask separately.
At the nLab page on rational homotopy theory it is stated that chains are topologically analoguous to distributions.
Could someone explain this analogy to me? In particular I would like to understand why this implies that the enveloping algebra of a Lie algebra could be thought of as the algebra of distributions supported at the identity.
Perhaps a reference to a good place to read about these kinds of subjects?