Abstract: The subject of the study is the formation of the Serbian national idea in the 19th century. The object of the study is the national Serbian political programs in the 19th century. Special attention is paid to the activities of the following political figures: Ilia Garashanin, Stoyan Novakovich, Nikola Pasic, Svetozar Markovich and others. The author analyzes the political programs of the XIX century, the activities of parties, as well as official legislation, which reflected the national idea, its development and strengthening. Thus, one of the tasks of the work is to consider the evolution of the Serbian national idea during the 19th century. In addition, special attention is paid to the activities of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC), its role in the people's liberation movement of the XIX century, as well as in the formation of national ideology. The writing of this article, the goals and objectives set by the author led to the use of the following research methods: analytical, comparative and typological. In addition, research methods specific to historical science were used – historical-genetic, historical-systemic, retrospective. The scientific novelty of the work is determined by the formulation of a scientific problem; by the involvement of publications (including in a foreign language) published over the past 5 years; by the involvement of historical sources that have not been translated into Russian. In addition, the author analyzes the activities of the SOC in the article, the history of which is not given enough attention in the scientific Russian literature. The main conclusions of the study are: the Serbian national ideology in the 19th century was formed in the conditions of the people's liberation movement, as well as - partially - under the influence of the Austrian (since 1867 Austro–Hungarian), Russian and Ottoman Empires; influence on the formation of the national idea was exerted not only by state institutions, but also by opposition political parties; The Serbian Orthodox Church, which competed with the state apparatus in the field of ideology, occupies a place in the evolution of the national idea. Thus, during the 19th century, the Serbian national idea was born, formed, and evolved, some aspects of which were not only fixed, but also implemented in domestic and foreign policy.