I agree with BLT. If we were to remove the improvement swapping and government swapping, it is only taking the fun and excitement out of the game. People like to think they are better than everyone else, and this gives them an upper hand. if you take that away, people will realize that they have the same opportunities as everyone else, and as "fair" as that may seem, it will decrease interest. The world is not fair, so why should we make a simulation fair.
And I do agree with redesigning the tax/religion/war system, because I want more strategy, because I want to feel like, if I master that system, I will have an advantage to others, and that is what drives this game. If no one cared about being better than everyone else, everyone would still have 5 ns nations.