A big difference between Diplomacy and real life is the existence (or in Dip the non-existence) of international organisations. The other is difference between stronger and weaker powers (it's ridiculus to put Italy a Great Power in WW1 just because she has stopped the half-hearted Austrian offensive).
So I devised a set of rules and I want to test them - please write your toughts, and if everything is all right, then let's try it.
Here are the rules:

-United Nations Rule:
A nation can occupy any neutral territory with the permission of the United Nations Grand Council, which is made up by all the players. Major powers have 2 vote, minors have 1.
The Council votes in every winter about permissions, embargoes, or peace-keeping missions (read total wars against a malcontent nation)
1. If any nation occupies a neutral territory without permission he is to be put under embargo: which means he lose all of his Influence Points (see lower) and any nation manipulated by that power will regain its independence.
2. If that doesn't stop him from such actions, he shall be attacked if the Council so votes.
3. The majority of the nations is required to give a neutral territory to any player.

-Influence Point Rules:
The player nations are divided to two groups: Major and Minor powers.
1. A major power is a historically strong power (like Britain, France, Germany and Russia in Modern Europe map). She gets as many Influence Points (IPs) as many SCs he has. He should spend them on minor powers. In the winter, the major powers should bid on any minor power to influence it. The highest bidder can manipulate the country, which means, that he can
a. instruct him how to vote in the Council
b. give him general directions about his moves
c. give order to one of his units directly (tell him, how to move)
2. minor powers (Turkey, Italy, Poland, Spain, and UKraine in Modern)
They have no IPs in the beginning - but with all gained neutral SCs, they get one. If they get enough IPs (depending on the size of the map) tehy can declare themselves Major Power.

So, the minors will attempt to free themselves from influence, the majors will attempt to stop this, and get the solo.
These games should be WTA with lowered SCs required for solo.
The phases:
-winter:
1.Builds
2.Votes
3.Announce of spent IPs
-spirng & fall as usual.

What do you think?