If there is one thing I would like to see in the game it's higher risk missions where a Cutter with a class 8 prismatic could be threatened. I agree this would need to be offset by the availability of plenty of easier missions, especially for new players as higher level missions seem to appear purely as a result of being allied to a faction. Potentially you could then up the engineering and ability on high level NPCs on the difficult missions.
I wouldn't say you need an anarchy system for piracy though. I've a Clipper which will do the job nicely in medium security. Pirating NPC mining T-9s in boom agriculture systems is more fun for me than blowing up rocks.
