It was inspired by German movements and its base was merchants, industrials, officials and especially students and academics.
Its political goal was a constitutional government and free liberal economy, mixed with a strong national attitude towards the Germans, especially on the Schleswig-Holstein Question.
It gradually grew stronger during the 1840s, and at the crisis and fall of absolutism 1848 it was the driving force.
In 1866–75 it was the coalition partner of Højre, and soon most National Liberal veterans joined the conservative side.
From about 1880 the party was quietly dissolved, split between the new combatants of the Constitutional Struggle of Denmark.