Gandhi developed satyagraha to court the British, not overthrow them.

Evidence

Given Gandhi’s proposals to partner with the British in their colonisation of South Africa—and British reluctance to accept that partnership—satyagraha, appealing to your opponent with the force of Truth and Love, was the perfect political tool. Gandhi was not trying to overwhelm or destroy a ruling structure; he simply wanted to be friends with it. The intensity of his distaste for the “raw Kaffir” was matched by his affection and admiration for the British. Satyagraha seemed to be a way of reassuring them, a way of saying: “You can trust us. Look at us. We would rather harm ourselves than harm you.” — Ambedkar, B R, Annihilation of Caste_ The Annotated…, 230

Categorization

• XREF: Directly relevant to why Ambedkar distrusted satyagraha as useless against caste oppression from within the same society.
• QUESTION: This reading of satyagraha’s origin is disputed; worth verifying against Gandhi scholarship.