The campaign against Sati began as a cause championed by missionaries. In Sati: Historical and Phenomenological Essays by Arvind Sharma, Sharma describes how the Serampore missionaries (including the "Serampore trio" of William Carey, William Ward, and Joshua Marshman) authored a tract in the Friend of India magazine in 1823 which contained a "strong attack against sati". Missionary pressure and public opinion gradually intensified throughout the period of 1757-1857. But, the pressure against sati was linked with some other troubling public opinions, including a "sharpening criticism of Hinduism" in general. It is evident that the campaign against sati was a larger part of Britain's attempt to colonize and control the native practices of India, and was clearly tied with attempts to christianize India. However, the abolition of sati was also supported by Hindu reformers, but was opposed by a group of more orthodox Hindus. However, in the words of Arvind Sharma:

"Sati, on account of its dramatic nature, became an element in the vindication of British Imperialism...Sati was also used as a moral justification to themselves by the British to impose their rule on India". Sharma then goes on to quote a Brahmin convert to Christianity:

"I used to feel very hot towards the English government over what I feel are our wrongs. But when I came to God and read the Bible, I understood. I saw God was letting the English make return to us for our long neglect and down-treading of the low castes, and of our oppression of the widow".

So as oppressive as sati was, it was later used in polemics to justify continued British rule- "Would sati come back if the British left?" etc.