Led by Nikola Pašić for most of its existence, its ideological profile has significantly changed throughout its history, shifting from socialism and radicalism towards conservatism in the early 20th century.
The Radical Party had its own daily (Samouprava, "Self-Government"), which was critical of the ruling monarchy, demanding democracy, public liberties, and liberal reforms of the bureaucratic system.
The Radical leaders, mostly educated at home and abroad Pera Todorovic, Nikola Pašić, Pera Velimirović, Sima Lozanić, Lazar Paču, Jovan Djaja, Andra Nikolić, Ranko Tajsić, Lazar Dokić, Raša Milošević, Đura Ljočić, Gliša Geršić, Svetomir Nikolajević, Kosta Taušanović, etc.
Among others, Radicals attracted important intellectuals, diplomats, and university professors, such as Milovan Milovanović, Milenko Vesnić, Mihailo Vujić, Đorđe Simić, Jovan Žujović.
In September 1883, the Timok Rebellion broke out in eastern Serbia when King Milan Obrenović declared that peasants' arms should be confiscated by the army.
In the National Assembly, outdated electoral rules and Yugoslav police actions against opponents of the royal family[6] favoured the Radical Party.
Certain members of the party entered into Alexander's governments, and Stanojević called for the end of the royal dictatorship and the return to parliamentary democracy and local self-government.