Abstract
The article is devoted to the study of the formation and development of forms and methods of charity. It examines the main activities of the Russian state in the field of charity, as well as changes in the content of specific forms of charity. Special attention is paid to the role of charity in Kazakhstan in the second half of the XIX - early XX centuries. The authors consider the evolution of charity and social assistance at various stages of the historical development of the Russian Empire. This includes an analysis of changes in the legal regulation of the social sphere and charity, such as legislative acts and decrees that regulated the activities of charitable organizations and forms of assistance to those in need, and examines the characteristic features of various forms and methods of providing social assistance, such as the creation of charitable institutions, mandatory work systems and other social support measures.