Taxing dividends in the hands of shareholders is, in effect, double taxation in cases where the company has paid tax on the income before it is paid as dividends.
By taxing dividends at normal rates while giving a credit to the recipient for the tax paid by the company, double taxation is avoided. Also investment in companies which pay taxes is encouraged.
Australia has such a system and it works very effectively and without any undue burden on the companies to administer the system.



