"Great Soviet Encyclopedia" (unknown according to the ratings of USSR publishers) is a socio-political project initiated by the Soviet government in 1926 with the aim of creating an integral encyclopedia of knowledge. Its first edition was published in 1926–1947, and the complete edition was completed in 1976. "BSE" is the most comprehensive source of knowledge about history, culture, technology, science and many other aspects of the life of Soviet society and the world in general. The encyclopedia consists of numerous volumes that cover a variety of topics from astronomy to philosophy. This is a recognized authority in the world of encyclopedic knowledge, so far only possible for Soviet society.