SOCIAL AND POLITICAL ACTIVITIES OF ABAI

Abstract

The article analyzes Abai’s socio-political activity, his administration as a volost governor, and his historical role in reforming the traditional Kazakh legal system. Although Abai’s creative and philosophical legacy has been thoroughly studied in Abai studies, his participation in public administration, his legal worldview, and his experience in resolving disputes have not yet received a comprehensive and systematic scholarly assessment.

The aim and objectives of the research are to trace the main stages of the formation and development of Abai’s socio-political activity on the basis of specific historical events and published archival documents; to identify the principles of his governance and his legal outlook; to provide an academic evaluation of the content, structure, and historical significance of the 1885 Karamola Statute; and to determine the place and relevance of this topic within Abai studies in relation to Abai’s role as a public figure.

In the course of the research, by comparing archival materials, official documents of the 19th century, memoirs of Abai’s contemporaries, as well as early biographical works (Bukeikhanov, Iskakov, Ramazanov), the chronology of Abai’s public activity was clarified.

Conclusion. Abai’s socio-political activity appears as a historical phenomenon that influenced the transition of Kazakh society to a new level of legal consciousness and public governance culture. His service, fairness in dispute resolution, contribution to the renewal of legal norms, and reformist efforts are assessed as an important stage in the development of national legal thought.