The materials presented in the article reveal the process of forming legislation that ensures the right to a decent life for Russian citizens. The article analyzes the views of prominent Russian scholars of the 19th and early 20th centuries who studied the legal content of the concept of "decent existence." The article examines the articles of the Constitution of the Russian Federation that reflect new complex branches of law that establish guarantees for a decent life for Russian citizens. Using a large array of regulatory legal acts, the article demonstrates the development of social security law. It is noted that new complex branches of law continue to emerge, and their legislation ensures the right of Russian citizens to a decent life.