Industrialization and opening of the Finnish economy by Emperor Alexander II gave room for liberal economic thinking.
The Young Finns opposed on constitutional basis Russification efforts commenced by Emperor Nicholas II during 1899-1905.
During that period various political factions joined the movement and they were held together by a common opponent, the autocratic Russian Empire.
They were initially oriented in foreign policy toward the United Kingdom and France, but after the Finnish Civil War of 1918 their support for Germany substantially increased.
During the hegemony of Germany in 1918, the monarchists won the political battle and a clear majority of the Young Finns voted for a German prince Friedrich Karl to become the King of Finland.