Final answer:
Jefferson Cowie argues in 'Stayin' Alive' that the 1970s were pivotal in reshaping the American working class, leading to diminished unity, weakened labor unions, and the rise of individualism.
Step-by-step explanation:
Jefferson Cowie's main argument in the introduction of his book Stayin' Alive: The 1970s and the Last Days of the Working Class is that the 1970s marked a dramatic transformation in American history, especially for the working class. This period witnessed the decline of the working-class solidarity that had defined the post-World War II era.
Cowie discusses the political, economic, and cultural shifts that led to a fracture in the working class, resulting in weakening labor unions, rising individualism, and the ascendancy of a new political and economic order. The 1970s, as detailed by Cowie, are characterized as the 'last days' of a once-powerful and cohesive American working class, leading to the socio-political landscape we see today.