The Peloponnesian War and the Cold War are no exception in that they tried to see which nation and types of government were the best way to govern . During the Peloponnesian War, Athens and Sparta argued over whether Athenian democracy or Sparta's oligarchy was the best way to literally rule. Sparta had specifically started the war because Athens was growing rapidly and Sparta wanted the Greek city-states not to expand and remain at the size they had been over a century ago. These were basically the small communities in which they started. Sparta's concern about Athens' growth and that greatness was the measure of who was on top was a common theme during the Cold War. The Cold War was not only a space and arms race, but America was also trying to contain the Soviet Union's influence over its neighbors because they feared the spread of communism. The space race and the arms race were battles of greatness during the Cold War. Not only did these races try to prove their greatness in their governments, but also in many other aspects of their countries, such as industrial power, scientific advancements, and the importance of education. Also during the Cold War, America wanted to stop the spread of communism, which was one of the main goals of the Soviets, whether for their allies or for their mission to make all the world's governments