A conservative liberal party, it was founded in 1988 as a pro-independent movement in the Soviet Union (USSR) and has since promoted anti-communism, pan Turkism, secularism, and a civic nationalism of the Uzbeks.

Birlik has been under pressure from the Uzbek authorities; some activists are in prison and many members of the organization were forced to leave the country, with the organization not having conducted party and electoral activities since the 2000s.

Since the end of 1989, the movement began to advocate for the independence of Uzbekistan from the USSR, for democratic reforms in the country.

Most of the leaders of the movement left Uzbekistan, the rest were arrested.

On 26 August 2003, in the private house of one of the movement's activists in Kokand, an underground constituent congress of the Birlik party took place.