Valvoja was launched in 1880 by a group of individuals who would become prominent academics and politicians,[1][2] including Arvid Järnefelt and Ernst Gustaf Palmen.
[3] The founding group adhered to classical liberalism and supported the ideas of John Stuart Mill and Charles Darwin.
[5] Helmi Krohn and Thiodolf Rein served as the editors-in-chief of the magazine.
[3][6] Juhani Aho, who was one of the early professional Finnish language authors, contributed to the magazine.
[7] Valvoja was instrumental in reintroducing the views of Anders Chydenius who was among the pioneers of liberalism in Sweden and Finland.